There are many reasons for this American achievement, but foremost is a commitment to religious freedom – which originated in the struggles of English Protestants but was applied in a way the world had not seen before.

St. George’s Chapel, located within the walls of Windsor Castle, is Anglophile heaven – a marvel of Gothic in the Perpendicular style, mother church of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the holy of holies of monarchism.

Sitting in the Quire during Sung Evensong, one faces the common grave of Henry VIII and Charles I. Behind and in front are the wooden stalls of the Knights of the Garter, topped by heraldic banners. Above is the enclosed box seat where Victoria would watch services during her endless mourning.

At one point in the service, prayers are said for the kings, queens and members of the royal family who have aided the order. It was the first time I had ever prayed for the soul of Richard III, who may or may not have been responsible for the deaths of his nephews. I suppose everyone can be spared a prayer. Besides, the communion of saints includes more than a few rogues.

This pilgrimage (made a few years ago) came nostalgically to mind while I was reading
a recent article in the Guardian. “This Christmas,” it declared, “for perhaps the first time ever, Britain is a majority non-religious nation.” In 1985, according to the British Social Attitudes survey, 63 percent of Britons called themselves Christians. In 2010, it was 42 percent, with 51 percent claiming no religion at all.

Michael Gerson is an op-ed columnist for the Washington Post. He served as President George W. Bush’s chief speechwriter from 2001 until June 2006, Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/30/AR2010123004411.html