Hello everyone,

I am new to Fodors forum. My husband and I are traveling to the UK for two weeks at the end of April. We will be in London on Easter Sunday and would like to attend a service at St. Paul's. Has anyone had any experience with attending a service here on a major holiday? We would appreciate any tips on how soon we should arrive at the church prior to the service (most likely Choral Matins at 10:15 am), as well as any other helpful information.

Thank you!

We went to Easter service at St. Paul's several years ago and were late and had to sit in an alcove. You will want to arrive a little early, but it's a big place. Ushers on the steps ask if you are attending the service, as they don't allow tourists in while worship is going on.

After the service was finished, they held a Blessing of the Easter Garden outside. It was lovely.

It's really no big deal.

Churchgoing is a fringe activity in Britain, Easter's not the most commonly celebrated Christian feast in Britain, relatively few London churchgoers are CofE and practically no-one lives within easy reach of St Paul's.

This absolutely isn't the crowd-puller the main Easter High Mass is in St Peter's Rome - or even Westminster Cathedral. Or that Christmas midnight Mass is in big-city Continental cathedrals - or St Patrick's, Fifth Ave.

Of the main St Paul's services, Matins has the least interesting music. The previous post implies it still attracts a more or less full house - though ushers at big churches often put latecomers somewhere their arrival won't disrupt the congregation, so.

Just get there five or ten mins beforehand.