Call the Midwife S15 ending: A wedding, a funeral, and the emotional return of Pam Ferris' Sister Evangelina
We're all out of tissues...
The Call the Midwife series 15 has come to an emotional ending, and if you’re not covered in snot and tears you should be ashamed of yourselves. Don’t judge us, but we were already gulping down sobs within minutes of the final episode beginning.
It was always going to be a momentous finale. Fans know that the popular midwife drama is talking a hiatus after more than 14 years on screen. Although the nuns and midwives at Nonnatus will be back eventually, it might be a few years until we see them again. And they will likely not be in Nonnatus House.
The home of nuns and midwives was shut down primarily due to the rapid modernisation of the NHS in the early 1970s, which prioritised hospital births over home births.
In the Call the Midwife series 15 ending, viewers also said a final goodbye to a beloved original character. But there was good news too, as Cyril and Rosalind got married, and a familiar face made a return. Here’s the highs and lows of the final episode.
Did Sister Monica Joan die in the Call the Midwife series 15 ending?
Tragically Sister Monica Joan did die in the ending of Call the Midwife series 15. At Nonnatus House, Sister Monica Joan had ceased taking her medicine, and demanded that Nurse Crane summon an undertaker. At her request, Bernie Mullucks wheeled Sister Monica Joan through Poplar Market in a wheelchair, where stallholders greeted her warmly, remembering the babies she delivered decades ago. As they settled in St Anne’s Church where she asked that her Requiem be held, she told Bernie: “I am not just leaving this earth, I am leaving Poplar, and it is my home.”
In her final days and hours, the popular Nonnatus House nun had made her peace with death. In fact, she had embraced it with open arms. Very moving scenes followed, in which she asked for a gin and tonic to try for the first time in her life, and “declared herself enamoured”.
At the very end, Sister Monica saw a vision of Sister Evangelina. Her old friend said to the dying nun: “You have shilly-shallied long enough. Even the Almighty’s patience has worn thin.” Talking about Heaven, Sister Evangelina added: “It’s everything we were promised, and all that you have worked for.”
She then put out her hand, and said: “Come on you.” In bittersweet scenes, a smiling Sister Monica Joan died. We saw her spirit form walking away from her mortal body with Sister Evangelina, and other spirit nuns. At that moment, Belinda Mullucks gave birth to her child. And such is the circle of life.
Who was Sister Evangelina in Call the Midwife?
Pam Ferris played Sister Evangelina from series 1 to 5, between 2012 and 2016. She was a Anglican nun of the Order of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, known for being tough, blunt, and highly dedicated. Sister Evangelina was a hugely popular character with viewers.
She was a highly experienced midwife and a pillar of support at Nonnatus House, often mentoring younger nurses. Fans will know that Sister Evangelina had a particularly close, often argumentative, relationship with Sister Monica Joan, with whom she shared many humorous moments.
Her character died of a stroke in series 5 in an emotional storyline. So it was only fitting that she return for Sister Monica Joan’s exit scenes.
It’s actually a rare TV role for actress Pam Ferris, who has largely stepped away from the limelight since leaving the BBC One drama. In fact, since leaving the show, she’s made only a handful of appearances in TV and film. These include her role as Queen Victoria in the 2018 comedy film Holmes & Watson, Mrs Faulkner in 2019’s Tolkien, Madame Gaudin in a 2020 episode of Urban Myths, and returning as Cath Smith in the final ever episode of Gavin & Stacey.
What happened to Sister Veronica?
Sister Veronica ultimately ended her estrangement from The Order. Confiding in her ever-loyal friend Geoffrey she revealed she was returning to Nonnatus House as a nun. Sadly she’d discovered that she’d started the menopause and had “left it too late” to have children of her own.
Of course, fans knew she had had doubts about her role in life as a result of her desperate need to have a child. She told Geoff: “It’s time to go back to The Order. I was always going to have to choose. I left because I wanted a child, but I’ve been beaten by my own biology.”
She added: “I belong in The Order. I’ve earned that life. If I go back, I can hold babies every day, love them every day.”
In the Call the Midwife series 15 ending, Sister Veronica has said goodbye to her alter-ago Beryl and has back in her nun’s habit.
Call the Midwife series 15 ending: Did Nonnatus House close?
In the Call the Midwife series 15 ending, Nonnatus was “temporarily closed”. Veteran nurse Crane began the paperwork to transfer all the expectant mothers’ notes, while Joyce Highland got the job of Acting Sister’s job at St Cuthberts. Trixie was leaving to be Matron at The Lady Emily, and Phyllis Crane was staying on as Dr Turner’s district nurse.
Sister Julienne summed it up perfectly when she said: “The death of our sister and the alteration of our practice are not linked. But the sadness feels the same because it is time itself that has bought both these things about.”
The crucial word being “alteration” and not closure. Nonnatus House is to become a house of prayer, and of charity. Sister Julienne went on to say that she was considering “the next steps”, including “three potential medical missions”. All of which would involve “at least a year abroad”. The locations included Gilbert and Ellice Islands, British Colombia. and a remote part of Australian.
Sister Julienne concluded: “We ask for your prayers and your patience. And that as many of you as are able stay with us on this journey. All will be well, I promise you.”
It was an end of an era. But it’s not over yet. Certainly not until the old nun sings.
What else happened in the Call the Midwife series 15 ending?
- Trixie’s mother-in-law Lady Aylward suffered “a massive heart attack”. Sadly she died, and Matthew was too late to reconcile with her after their previous quarrel. However, this meant that Matthew now controlled Aylward estates, and Trixie was given a seat on the board. She offered to buy 55% of Mr Scarisbrick’s clinic, meaning she would be in charge.
- Cyril and a pregnant Rosalind got married in a touching wedding ceremony that (not quite but almost) made up for the tragic loss of Sister Monica Joan. Poplar was transformed for the nuptials, with a radiant Rosalind walking through a rainfall of confetti thrown by friends and family. Rosalind later got an ultrasound scan, using new technology of the time.
- Belinda Mullucks gave birth to her first child, becoming potentially the last women to give birth in Nonnatus House. Meanwhile, Thalidomide victim Susan got a new electric wheelchair that would give her more independence.
When will Call the Midwife be back?
BBC One has confirmed that Call the Midwife WILL return for a 16th series. But fans will have to wait for a while. Call the Midwife is taking a break after series 15 for a prequel series and a movie. This naturally means that there will be no Christmas special in 2026.
We do know that a younger version of Judy Parfitt’s Sister Monica Joan will be the focus of the upcoming prequel. Series creator Heidi Thomas confirmed the three lead characters would also follow the younger versions of Sisters Julienne and Evangelina, played by Jenny Agutter and Pam Ferris in the original show. Younger actresses, as yet unnamed, will be playing the characters.
As the voice of a mature Jennifer Worth (Vanessa Redgrave) explained in the closing moments: “There have always been goodbyes at Nonnatus House, and there have always been endings. […] We have grieved because there was no love without pain and we survived. Because the love was always greater. There will always be another chapter.”
Watch this space for more Call the Midwife news when we get it.
Read more: Call the Midwife series 15 sees return of popular Mullucks family in episodes 7 and 8
