The Bishop of London preaching in the Banqueting House in 1999 upon the 450th anniversary of the Martyrdom of S.Charles
The work and witness of The Society of King Charles the Martyr is as important today as it ever has been in history. Our central task of drawing churchmen and women to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the life and martyrdom of S.Charles continues today.
The era of the Caroline Divines was a Golden Age for Catholic Anglican doctrinal writing, liturgy and spirituality. The Society has never attempted to be an historical association but rather one that seeks to recall a living tradition from the past and to present it anew.
The activities of SKCM today revolve around the keeping of the three feast days associated with S. Charles; S. Charles’s Day (30th January), Restoration Day (29th May) and the Nativity of S. Charles (19th November).
By long tradition the Society has held the devotions and offered the Mass upon S.Charles’s Day at the Banqueting House, Whitehall, the place of the King’s martyrdom. This has been possible through the kind permission of the Royal Palaces Agency that cares for the building. At all our services a guest preacher is invited and the sermons printed in our journal Church and King.
The procession of a relic during commemorative Solemn High Mass for the 400th anniversary of the birth of S.Charles. The service was organised by SKCM and held in the place of the Martyr’s birth, Dunfermline Abbey, on 8th Nov, 2000
In addition to the three services each year, SKCM organises special services of commemoration. These have included in recent years services at Dunfirmline Abbey, Restoration House, Rochester, Pusey House , Oxford and parish churches.
Membership in SKCM is a vital way of supporting our objectives. As a non-profit organisation the Society is dependent upon the generosity of those who support our work.
In the past SKCM was an organisation made up of many regional and diocesan branches. Today members are drawn from all over the country with our journal and this website acting as a key point of contact.
SKCM continues to offer support and guidance for those who are seeking to keep S. Charles’s Day (and the other commemorations) and makes modest financial grants to individuals and organisations who are working for the ‘defence of the apostolicity of the Church’ as our founding forefathers desired.
That services conducted with SKCM sponsorship and named as SKCM events are liturgically derived from the Prayer Book of 1637 or 1662 by clergy of the Anglican Communion ordained within an unbroken male Apostolic Succession as was the practice and belief of the first seven Ecumenical Councils of the Church.
Amongst the Noble Army of Martyrs who followed Christ through life to death we find S.Charles. SKCM today seeks to honour his memory, to remember his martrydom and to seek benefit by his prayers.
