Welcome to our News page.
We currently hold one weekly service beginning at 10.30am every Sunday morning, and a monthly united evening service at 7pm on the last Sunday of each month. Visitors are always welcome at any of our services. Please be aware that the church is situated within the City Council’s designated Low Emission Zone. Regular parking restrictions are in force between 12.30pm and 6.30pm on Sundays, and we are conveniently placed for the 35 bus route. The morning service is livestreamed and available on this homepage. And why not follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Open Kirk – Between July and August the church is open every weekday from 10.30am to 4pm. The church is also usually open on Saturdays, morning and afternoon, and Sundays – afternoon only – in July and August. It’s free to drop in and look around although we do appreciate donations!
Read the latest edition of our MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. Paper copies can be sent out on request.
Our weekly Sunday service is livestreamed at 10.30am. Click on the picture below to watch.
Click here for the order of service for Sunday 20th July 2025 – Fifth After Trinity
Watch previous services on our You Tube channel
Monthly Evening Service
Join us on the last Sunday of each month at 7pm here at Canongate Kirk for our monthly united evening service with St Giles’ when we are joined by a quartet of singers in the gallery.
Our next evening service is at 7pm on Sunday 27th July 2025. On this occasion we will be joined by Streatham Choral, a large choir visiting from London. This promises to be a memorable evening with a larger-scale musical dimension than usual. All welcome!
New Governor’s Installation
Major-General Bob Bruce CBE DSO, Governor of Edinburgh Castle, was formally installed in a colourful parade on Wednesday 30th April, in which the Minister of Canongate Kirk, as Chaplain to the Governor, took part.
Easter Day Baptism
Four generations of the Croy family were represented on Easter Day when Baby Raya, the youngest member at 11 weeks, was baptised. As well as a joyful occasion it was also a remarkable one as Raya’s mother Bethany, grandmother Nicola and great-grandmother Dinah were all baptised as babies here at Canongate Kirk. Raya’s beautiful baby blanket was knitted by Dinah over fifty years ago as part of her Duke of Edinburgh award.
Palm Sunday
We were glad to welcome little James Waring into the wider family of the church through Baptism, and also to welcome friends from the Royal Naval Association and former members of the crew of the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Order of St John
We were delighted to host a significant service for the Priory of Scotland, attended by HRH The Duke of Gloucester and other representatives from around the United Kingdom, on 26th February 2025.
Order of St John Carol Service
The Minister is joined by The Lord Provost and Prof Paul Mealor after the first carol service held by the Order of St John in Canongate Kirk. Music was supplied by the St John Festival Choir, directed by Paul, and a retiring offering of £1,100 was raised for the Lord Provost’s One City Trust.
St Margaret’s Day at Canongate Kirk
The Minister is joined by The Most Reverend Leo Cushley, The Right Reverend John Armes and The Very Reverend Colin Sinclair, representing the Roman Catholic Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland respectively, in leading the annual service for St Margaret’s Chapel Guild in Canongate Kirk on St Margaret’s Day, 16th November 2024.
250th Anniversary of the Death of Robert Fergusson
On Sunday 13th October we marked the 250th anniversary of the death of the poet Robert Fergusson (1750 – 1774) who is buried in our kirkyard . Flowers were laid by his grave and the Minister gave a short commemoration, reading a prayer by Henry Newman.
Royal Banner and Prayer
The banner which hangs on our north wall to the left hand side was temporarily returned to the Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving during which HM The King was presented with the Honours of Scotland in July 2023. It hung again exactly where it did on 24th June 1953, when The late Queen attended a similar service soon after her own coronation. In connection with the more recent service our Minister was asked to write the following prayer for the Church of Scotland website:
Loving God, centuries ago you kindled a flame of love in the heart of your servant Queen Margaret and by her humility and kindness made clear the way of royal service in this land. Now as we give thanks for our newly-crowned Sovereign King Charles, we pray that having been called to an earthly throne he might advance your heavenly Kingdom. Amidst all the panoply of Church and State, may our ancient ceremonies and symbols reflect your unchanging purpose of peace and goodwill. May they speak not just of our history and heritage but of our hope for years to come. For our hope is rooted in faith, and our faith rooted in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. Amen.
Bird’s Eye Views of Canongate Kirk
Taken from a drone during a recent roof inspection.
