NHS staff, royals and politicians from across the spectrum hailed the NHS at a Westminster Abbey ceremony to mark the health service’s 75th birthday today.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer gave Bible readings at the service - with the passages raising some eyebrows.
The PM’s reading was from Matthew, chapter 25, which includes the passage: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
And when the verses were revealed, the irony was lost on nobody.
Twitter user James Woodfield suggested the PM had been "stitched up", adding "Who gave him Matt 25:35 to read?"
Julie Street joked that the verse was just missing "you gave me a helicopter".
Conversely, Mr Starmer’s reading was the “new Jerusalem” passage from Revelations.
It includes the lines: “There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
“There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Addressing guests, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie, NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: "Since the day it was founded, the NHS has continually innovated and adapted to meet the changing needs of our patients and communities.
“Recent years have brought a once-in-a-century global health emergency and unprecedented challenges.
“But throughout, our staff, volunteers and partners up and down the country have continued to do what they do best - looking after patients and their loved ones.
“In doing so they provided a beacon of hope for a nation during dark and uncertain times.
“It is therefore little wonder that the NHS remains the institution that makes our nation most proud to be British - a cornerstone of national life and our shared identity."
The service opened with a procession that included the Duke and Duchess and the George Cross, presented to the NHS last year by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Speeches were given by Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, the UK's first sickle cell nurse specialist, and NHS Charities Together chief executive Ellie Orton before the Abbey stood to sing hymns.
Dean of Westminster the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle said in his sermon: "The NHS is not important just because it stands the test of time; it matters because it says something about who we want to be.
"This is more than history today, more than ambition - today is all about our hope, about our belief."
He added: “Seventy-five years ago we dared to hope, and that was an extraordinary thing to do.
“We still dare to hope, we will give thanks, we will be proud, we will name the difficulty today, but above all - and gladly - we will name the hope that is the NHS.”
Health Secretary Steve Barclay offered prayers and the service finished with the National Anthem, followed by the Abbey’s bells ringing across Westminster as guests filed out.
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