ST JOHN’S Anglican Church in Walyalup Koort will be celebrating its 180th anniversary on August 6 with a special sung mass that will be attended by the Archbishop of Perth, Kay Goldsworthy.

The mass is part of a month-long celebration, which will include a historical exhibition and fete in Walyalup Koort on August 12 from 9am – with many people unaware that much of what was once King’s Square is actually owned by St John’s.

There is also WA’s first “Hymnathon” on Sunday, August 20, where anyone can join in with some of the state’s finest choirs and soloists.

St John’s ‘greeter’ Christian Mauri said the Archbishop’s visit will add to the spectacle of the Festival Eucharist on Sunday, August 6 from 10am.

“Because the thing about the sung mass is that while they are all lovely, sometimes we just really pull out all the stops, Mr Mauri said.

“So August 6, that’ll be singing in Latin, that’ll be having frankincense burning; the whole shebang.”

The Hymnathon on August 20 from 2pm celebrates the great Australian tradition of communal singing.

It’s being organised in collaboration with the Royal School of Church Music, and will be a two-hour festival of the finest choirs and soloists.

Kids can get in free and, as the Church’s facebook entry notes, there’ll be “sublime harmonies, aromatic mulled wine and magical ambience” to warm the flock’s spirits.

Tickets are available at hymnathon2023.eventbrite.com or by calling 9335 2213.