Journalists’ Service: Valiant for truth

A service to commemorate those journalists, photographers, camera-crew, sound-crew and support staff who have died on the frontline, will be held at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street on Tuesday 12th November 2024 at 6:30pm.

This year our annual service is entitled Valiant for truth, the name of an heroic character from John Buynan’s Pilgrim’s Progress whose wounds are witness to his courage and steadfastness in dark times and who passes his sword on to others who will succeed him.

The Address will be given by Roula Khalaf, Editor of the Financial Times.

Readings will be given by leading figures in the media industry.

The service is free and open to all; please register to attend.

The service will be led by Canon Alison Joyce, Rector of St Bride’s, with music performed by the renowned St Bride’s Choir, including Ralph Vaughan William’s setting of Valiant-for-Truth.

The retiring collection will be shared between St Bride’s Church, the spiritual home of journalists throughout the world, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, which promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

Our ministry to journalism is one of the most important and distinctive aspects of our life at St Bride’s. Indeed the church is widely known as the Journalists’ Church because of its historic links to printing and the Press.

We hold this service of remembrance each Autumn. There is an archive of audio and transcripts from past services here.

A candle burns on our Journalists’ Altar to remember in prayer those working within the media who have died, been injured, held hostage, or whose fate is unknown.