Education in Faith

ANZAC Day

Anzac Day, 25th  April, is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day. 

Australians recognise 25th April as a day of national remembrance, which takes two forms. Commemorative services are held across the nation at dawn – the time of the original landing, while later in the day, former servicemen and servicewomen meet to take part in marches through the country’s major cities and in many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are more formal, and are held at war memorials around the country. In these ways, Anzac Day is a time at which Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

A Prayer of Remembrance

Lord God, help us this day to remember the sacrifice of the first ANZACs, and the generations of men, women and children who have died in the cause of liberty and peace.

Help us to remember those who still bear the physical and mental scars and disabilities of their service.

Help us to remember all those who waited in vain for the return of a loved one.

Help us to remember the mateship, agony, courage and compassion of war service,

but save us from ever glorifying the horror and tragedy of war.

Lord God, help us to remember.

Amen