FESTIVAL EVENTS
Edinburgh comes alive each August as artists, performers, and visitors from around the world gather for the city’s world-renowned festivals. It is a time of creativity and discovery—and a unique opportunity for faith communities to take part in the wider cultural conversation.
The Festival of the Sacred Arts (10–16 August) highlights Christian heritage in music, visual art, poetry, drama, and architecture. This year, St Michael and All Saints is pleased to take part by:
Hosting the Festival’s Closing Service
Saturday 16 August at 16:00
A liturgical celebration marking the conclusion of the Festival of the Sacred Arts.
Opening the Church for Special Hours
Throughout August, the building will be open at additional times for visitors and pilgrims.
Exhibiting the Michael Jessing Bursary Prizewinners’ Show
A showcase of work by emerging artists awarded this year’s bursary.
Explore the Sacred Arts Festival programme →
ELABORATE rituals shape the way people pray at St Michael and All Saints. Timeless, resplendent expressions, held together in poetry, music, and art, draw people into the mysteries of God.
Yet this worship is not an escape from the world. Those who pray here bring with them the realities of daily life—their hopes, struggles, and concerns for the world around them. And at the conclusion of every Mass, worshippers are sent forth to live lives of humble service and compassion, seeking Christ in every person they encounter.
ST Michael and All Saints is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church’s theology draws on a heritage shaped by centuries of religious thought and practice. Its doctrine, woven into its liturgy, is rooted in Scripture and the Catholic teachings of the Church through the ages. From the pulpit and in its social teachings, church leaders address current issues in direct and meaningful ways. Rooted in tradition yet attuned to the present, St Michael and All Saints embodies a faith that is ever ancient and ever new.
ST Michael and All Saints is an open church, in both its doors and its ethos. All are welcome—people of every race, age, gender, sexuality, identity, background, ability, and life circumstance—every person as they are, without exception.
As a centre for Christian spirituality in the heart of the city, St Michael and All Saints seeks to be a place of hope and healing. Here, anyone searching for answers will find a safe space. And anyone seeking God, wherever they are in life’s journey, can find the means to do it.
Sunday • 10:30 High Mass
A service with choral music, organ, incense, bells, and elaborate ritual Read more →
Wednesday • 11:00 Low Mass (Lady Chapel)
First Saturday of each month • 12:30 Rosary Mass
ST Michael and All Saints invites you to mark some of the most significant moments of the liturgical year with special services featuring glorious music from one of the finest choirs in the city, vibrant Anglo-Catholic liturgy, and preaching that speaks to the heart. These services are true highlights of the calendar, offering excellent opportunities for reflection and celebration. Whether you’re a frequent attendee or joining for a special occasion, these events are sure to inspire.
Celebrate Marian devotion in the inimitable Anglo-Catholic tradition, featuring flower petals, processions, and the grandest of grand choral music. The concluding service of Edinburgh’s Festival of the Sacred Arts offers a moment to be inspired.
Embrace the beauty of Catholic ritual, no matter your tradition. Slip on some proverbial lace for the occasion and join a fabulous Come-and-Sing event. A full choir rehearsal precedes the service. Sign up online to participate.
Enter the season of Advent through a dramatic and awe-inspiring service, filled with candlelight, stirring choral music, and readings, drawing all who attend into a profound sense of waiting and wonder.
Celebrate the Christmas story through the beloved Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Scripture readings and carols recount the journey from creation to the birth of Christ. The service, accompanied by exceptional choral music, offers a moment of reflection, joy, and a deep connection to the true meaning of Christmas.
Listen to recent sermons and reflections.
‘The Glasgow Effect’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20)
‘An invitation to come back’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the Dedication Festival (John 2.13-22)
‘Let’s not be surprised when it works’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 8:26-39)
‘Jammie Dodgers’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the Feast of Corpus Christi (John 6.53-58)
‘Time travel isn’t the answer’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on Pentecost (John 14:8-17, 25-27)
‘Not that kind of peace’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the Sixth Sunday of Easter (John 14:23-29)
‘Stranger danger’ • Sermon preached by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon on the Fifth Sunday of Easter (John 13:31-35)
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