The interior of the great room was a blaze of candlelight; shining, white gold, like the light of heaven after a violent storm. Blue-misted vapours of incense ascended to the roof-beams in sweet-scented clouds, to waft above our heads like the prayers of saints. The church buzzed with excitement. Here was a thing that had never happened before: a king crowned in a church, receiving his kingship from the hand of a holy man!
We had only just taken our places when the inner doors were thrown wide open and a robed monk swinging a censer came forth down the central aisle. Behind him came another, carrying a carved wooden cross before him. Urbanus followed, wearing a dark robe and a huge cross of gold upon his chest.
Dafyd walked behind him dressed in his robes, face shining in the candleglow. I stared at him as all the others stared, for he was a man transformed. Splendid in humility, radiant in simple holiness, Dafyd appeared a heavenly messenger come down to bless the proceedings with his presence. No one who saw him could have mistaken his kindly smile for anything but the rapture of one close to the living source of all love and light. Just to see him was to bow the knee to the God he served; it was to draw near true majesty with meekness and submission.
Behind Dafyd walked Aurelius, carrying his sword – the Sword of Britain – blade across palms, dressed in a white tunic and trousers with a wide belt of silver discs. His dark hair was oiled and combed back, bound at the nape with a thong. He walked easily, his expression at once serious and joyful.
Gwythelyn came after him, bearing a narrow circlet of gold on a cloth of white linen. Four more monks followed with a cloak of imperial purple, each holding a corner in his hand.
All these made their way to the altar, which was raised on a stepped marble dias. Urbanus and Dafyd approached the altar and turned to face Aurelius, who knelt down before them on the steps.
No sooner had this taken place than a chorus of monks, lining the perimeter of the church, began shouting:
GLORIA! GLORIA!
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO! GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO!
'Glory to God in the High Realms!' they shouted, and their shout became a chant. Others joined in and soon everyone was chanting; the church reverberated with it, the sound lifting the heart and spiralling up and ever upward through the night-dark sky to the first twinkling stars, to the very throne of heaven.
When the chant had reached its crescendo, Dafyd stepped forth with arms outspread and the room fell silent at once. 'It is right to pay homage to the Great Good God,' he said, then he turned to the altar, knelt, and began to pray aloud.
'Great of Might, High King of Heaven, we honour you!
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire.
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock,
Bear witness:
We pray this day for Aurelius, our king;
For God's strength to steady him,
God's might to uphold him,
God's eye to look before him,
God's ear to hear him,
God's word to speak for him,
God's hand to guard him,
God's shield to protect him,
God's host to save him
From the snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish him ill.
We do summon all these powers between him and these evils:
Against every cruel power that may oppose him;
Against incantations of false druids,
Against black arts of barbarians,
Against wiles of idol-keepers,
Against enchantments great and small,
Against every foul thing that corrupts body and soul.
Jesu with him, before him, behind him,
Jesu in him, beneath him, above him,
Jesu on his right, Jesu on his left,
Jesu when he sleeps, Jesu when he wakes,
Jesu in the heart of everyone who thinks of him,
Jesu in the mouth of everyone who speaks of him,
Jesu in the eye of everyone who sees him.
We uphold him today, through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Three in One,
Through belief in God,
Through confession of the Holy Spirit,
Through trust in the Christ,
Creator of all Creation.
So be it.
When he had finished, Dafyd turned to the monk with the cross and lifted the wooden symbol before Aurelius. 'Aurelianus, son of Constantine, who would be High King over us, do you acknowledge the Lord Jesu as your High King and swear him fealty?'
'I do so acknowledge him,' answered Aurelius. 'I swear fealty to no other Lord.'
'And do you promise to serve him through all things, as you would be served, even to the last of your strength?'
'I do so promise to serve him through all things, as I am served, even to the last of my strength.'
'And will you worship the Christ freely, honour him gladly, revere him nobly, hold for him your truest faith and greatest love, all the days that you shall live in this worlds-realm?'
'I will worship the Christ most freely, honour him most gladly, revere him most nobly, and hold for him my truest faith and greatest love, all the days that I shall live in this worlds-realm.'
'And will you uphold justice, dispense mercy, and seek truth through all things, dealing with your people in compassion and love?'
'I will uphold justice, dispense mercy, and seek truth through all things, dealing with my people in compassion and love, even as I am dealt with by God.'
All that Dafyd asked, Aurelius answered without hesitation and with a loud voice, so that even the crowd outside the doors could hear. Pelleas leaned near and whispered, 'All gathered in this church this night, Christian and pagan alike, will know what it is to worship the Most High God.'
'So be it,' I answered. 'May such knowledge increase.' Urbanus came forward with a vial of holy oil and, dipping his fingers, anointed Aureh'us' forehead with the sign of the cross. Then he nodded to the monks holding the cloak; the monks lifted the cloak and wrapped it round Aurelius' shoulders. Urbanus fastened it with a silver brooch.
Dafyd had turned to Gwythelyn, holding the circlet. He now took up the narrow golden band and held it above Aurelius' head. 'Arise, Aurelianus,' he said, 'wear your crown.' Aureh'us rose up slowly and, at the same time, Dafyd lowered the circlet upon his brow.
The holy man kissed Aurelius on the cheek and, turning him to face his people, cried out, 'Lords of Britain, here is your High King! I charge you to love him, honour him, follow him, pledge yourselves to him as he has pledged himself to the High King of Heaven.'
At this the assembled lords broke out with a mighty cheer – one voice of acclaim, one spirit of good will, one heart of love for their new king. Aurelius smiled and spread his arms as if he would embrace all the world. And I know that in that moment he did – as few men ever do.