Plaque

Church House - UN

Erection date: 14/5/1986

Inscription

Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary-General of the United Nations unveiled this inscription 14th May 1986 to recall the 40th anniversary of the United Nations and to commemorate the meetings of the United Nations Preparatory Commission and the Security Council and the early days of the organization in this building 1945 - 1946.

Site: Church House, Westminster (4 memorials)

SW1, Deans Yard, Church House

The four plaques are located as follows:
To the left of the entrance - 1937 foundation,
To the right of the entrance - opened 1940 (can be seen in our photo),
In the entrance porch, to the left - UN 1986,
In the entrance porch, to the right - centenary 1988.

Centre front, second floor, is a large high relief figure by Charles Wheeler, representing the Prophet of Assembly of the Church of England (though we can't discover any more about this personage, nor why it's so Eastern-looking).  And below that, some Greek text, about which our language consultant, David Hopkins, writes:

"It’s a direct quote from Luke 17:21 in the New Testament. If you have the right font on your computer it says: Η ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΘEΟΥ ΕΝΤΟΣ ΥΜΩΝ ΕΣΤΙΝ. In “English letters” this would be “He basileia tou theou entos humon estin”. The translation in the King James version says: “The kingdom of God is within you”, although some academics have argued that a better translation would be “The kingdom of God is in your midst”.  Neither makes much sense to me!"

Googling around suggests the carving may represent Elijah but we need help here. Why does a building so central to the Church of England carry Greek text and an apparent Eastern religious icon so prominently?

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Church House - UN

Subjects commemorated i

United Nations

Founded after World War II, to replace the League of Nations. Its stated aims...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Church House - UN

Created by i

Javier Perez de Cuellar

Javier Felipe Ricardo Pérez de Cuéllar y de la Guerra was born on 19 January ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Church House - UN

Also at this site i

Church House - centenary

Church House - centenary

This tablet was unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen on 25th October 1988 to com...

Read More

Church House - foundation stone

Church House - foundation stone

This foundation stone was placed here by Her Majesty Queen Mary, twentysixth ...

Read More

Church House - opened

Church House - opened

This building was opened by His Majesty King George VI accompanied by Her Maj...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Highgate Branch Library - outside

Highgate Branch Library - outside

N19, Chester Road, Highgate Branch Library

The two plaques appear to be back to back; the outside one being the foundation stone and the inside one the opening stone. To the left,...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Sydney Pigden

Sydney Pigden

SE4, Turnham Road, Turnham Academy

Ian Wright unveiled this plaque. He had dedicated his 2016 autobiography 'A Life in Football' to Pigden and described him as “the first p...

1 subject commemorated
Queen Eleanor's Cross

Queen Eleanor's Cross

WC2, Trafalgar Square

So, is this the "centre" of London? Londonist provides some alternatives.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
London Casino

London Casino

W1, Frith Street, 20

The doors are labelled "Prince Edward Theatre", whose main entrance is in Old Compton Street.

1 subject commemorated
Benjamin Britten - NW8

Benjamin Britten - NW8

NW8, St John's Wood High Street, 45

Benjamin Britten, composer, 1913 - 1976, and Peter Pears, singer, 1910 - 1986, lived and worked here, 1943 - 1946. City of Westminster In...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators

Previously viewed

John Angel

John Angel

Architectural and ecclesiastical sculptor, medallist and lecturer. He emigrated to the United States where he created architectural sculpture. Born Devon. Studied at the Lambeth School of Art. Mar...

Person, Sculpture, USA

1 memorial
Loughton war memorial

Loughton war memorial

IG10, King's Green

The quotation on the 1919 face comes from the Bible, Joshua 4:3, 6-7: "... and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of ...

War dead | WW1, WW2
172 subjects commemorated
The Theatre

The Theatre

The site of The Theatre is the tall building to the left in the picture. Often claimed to be the first London building specially devoted to the performance of plays though the Red Lion Theatre in M...

Building, Theatre

3 memorials
Herman Melville

Herman Melville

Novelist. Born New York City as Herman Melvill. After 7 years as a seaman on whaling ships 1837 - 44 he began writing about his experiences and in 1851 published Moby Call-me-Ishmael Dick.  In that...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous, USA

1 memorial
Grey Coat Hospital Foundation

Grey Coat Hospital Foundation

This is a charity supporting five schools including the Grey Coat Hospital in Greycoat Place.  See Grey Coat School for more information.

Group, Education

1 memorial