In The News

Belfast writer is honoured at Westminster Abbey

Belfast writer is honoured at Westminster Abbey

A MEMORIAL stone has been placed in Westminster Abbey to honour Belfast-born writer and scholar C. S. Lewis.

The stone was placed at Poets’ Corner during a Service to mark the 50th. anniversary of his death. He passed away on the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated.

The memorial means his name joins those of the many poets and writers, including John Milton, Oliver Goldsmith and William Blake, who have already been honoured in Poets’ Corner.

The memorial stone is inscribed with lines from one of the author’s theological lectures: ‘I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen. Not only because I can see it but because by it I can see everything else’.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, took part in the ceremony which was attended by around 1,000 guests. The Rev. Adrian Dorrian from St. Mark’s Church in Dundela, Belfast, also took part in the ceremony. Mr. Lewis’s grandfather had been the first rector of St. Mark’s.

Clive Staples Lewis was an Oxford Don, who as well as being a writer was also a noted academic, whose Christian faith had a profound effect on his work. 

He is best remembered for writing the series of books, The Chronicles of Narnia, which have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies around the world.

During the Second World War, he delivered a series of radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity (see below) which were widely acclaimed.

To listen to an excerpt from one of C. S. Lewis’s wartime broadcasts, click here.

For information on the C. S. Lewis Foundation, click here.

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