Such a beautiful word, evensong. Beautiful as it is, though, it doesn’t capture the experience of a York Minster late afternoon service. Last night was our seventh and final night in York and our third and most spectacular choral evensong.

It was Pentecost Sunday, and the clergy processed in on a cloud of incense. The choir boys and adults wore red cassocks, and the adults wore white surplices over them. But as with previous services, we heard the voices before we saw the singers.

After they took their place in the quire, they began with the introit, then moved on to the responses and the psalm. Their voices rose in harmony and counterpoint, as intoned sang anthems by Stainer, Palestrina and Rooney. The organ thundered behind them.

Because it was Sunday the service included a sermon and a hymn, which the congregation joined. This was not like the singing back home; it was robust and full.

As we prepared to leave, a shaft of sunlight pierced the west window and lit up the gothic pillars in the quire. It was a fitting farewell to this beautiful city.