The former Dean of Canterbury Robert Willis has died suddenly whilst in the USA.
During the first two decades of this century he welcomed many pilgrims who had walked to Canterbury.
He also prayed at Thomas Becket’s shrine site with others setting out south to Rome and Santiago.
Many more were touched by his daily online ministry from the Deanery garden during the pandemic. His cats and other animals became famous.
Since enforced retirement he had been helping to establish an English pilgrim hostel in Santiago.
Two days ago Robert Willis gave his last talk which was devoted to pilgrimage and includes updates on Santiago’s Anglican pilgrim church and the hostel’s expansion plans. It was filmed and can be seen here.
The proposal to largely follow the line of the Pilgrims’ Way, described as the Francigena Britannica, was proposed by the Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome.
A starting stone stands outside Canterbury Cathedral but now many more Rome-bound walkers are likely to be seen along the Pilgrims’ Way from London.
The decision makes official a recent trend inspired by those walking to Rome from the capital centuries ago.
More walkers could contribute to the growing pilgrim economy which benefits Southwark, Dartford and many historic villages.
Over 130 participants from the UK, France, Italy and Switzerland – the countries crossed by the Via Francigena – took part in the General Assembly which convened at Monte Sant’ Angelo in Italy.
Souvenir bags were distributed at Southwark’s two cathedrals.
Pilgrims travelling from Canterbury to London are sometimes told that they are going the wrong way. Once of course most Canterbury pilgrims had to walk or ride both ways.
But the Franciscan 800 pilgrims have been travelling from abroad to London and Oxford via Canterbury Cathedral.
They are marking the 800th anniversary of the first Franciscans arriving in England and at once visiting Canterbury and London.
Whilst those pioneer Franciscans were in Canterbury and its advance party in the capital, St Francis received the Stigmata -the wounds of Christ. That anniversary fell on Tuesday, the day of the Southwark welcome, and was kept with a special Mass at St George’s Roman Catholic Cathedral.
The day began at Southwark Cathedral with Anglican morning prayer and the Succentor Dr Thomas Sharp, a Third Order brother, giving the homily. The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, gave the blessing and presided at the Eucharist.
Lunch started with the main food being served in the Amigo Hall at St George’s Cathedral but for the second course pilgrims had to go to nearby Archbishop’s Park where puddings included the pilgrim cake Tata de Santiago.
The day concluded with a visit to Lambeth Palace garden where the 468 year old fig tree, which has a cutting growing in the Vatican Gardens, was watered.
Some of the pilgrims (top right) and friends with the Bishop of Southwark in Southwark Cathedral.Souvenir badge and book.Eco Church Vicar Dr Sharon Moughtin (centre) welcomes pilgrims to All Hallows Eco Church.The Bishop of Southwark with Franciscans at the open air All Hallows Eco Church.The cathedral to cathedral walking route included a visit to a Franciscan house in Southwark.Franciscans concelebrate Mass at St George’s Cathedral.The Bishop of Southwark with pilgrim supporters and friends.Enjoying Lambeth Palace garden.A final prayer at the fig trees with two members of the Lambeth Palace’s ecumenical St Anselm Community.Figs ripening in Lambeth Palace garden.
If you are setting out for Canterbury from Southwark on Tuesday 17 September you will find the Franciscan 800 celebrations at both cathedrals.
At 9am Morning Prayer is at Southwark Cathedral (Anglican) followed by the Eucharist. Included will be prayers for peace in the Holy Land as part of the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel.
Afterwards there is a pilgrimage walk to All Hallows Eco- Church in Copperfield Street for refreshments and a sing-along of St Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures.
At 12 noon St George’s Cathedral (Roman Catholic) is the venue for the Mass celebrating the 800th Anniversary of the Stigmata of St Francis of Assisi.
** 2024 is the 800th anniversary of both Franciscans arriving in England and St Francis receiving the Stigmata (painful marks on the hands corresponding to the wounds of Christ crucified) in La Verna on Mount Penna in Italy.
St Edith of Kemsing Day is on Monday with the local celebration taking place on Sunday 15 September.
Kemsing, where St Edith was born, is an important stage on the Pilgrims’ Way just after the Southwark and Winchester routes converge at Otford.
On Sunday devotions at the flower decorated well are at 10.15am and 3.30pm.
At 4.30pm there will be the First Vespers of St Edith at the church. Tea is available at The Bell from 5pm.
***********
Some pilgrims are starting from Otford at 1.30pm : meeting at Roman Catholic Holy Trinity Church.
There is an ancient direct path and road from Otford to Kemsing, starting on the south side of Otford’s parish church (St Bartholomew’s), running parallel to the Pilgrims Way which here is rather busy with traffic.
Franciscan Gardens chapel behind Canterbury High Street
A party of Franciscans will be welcomed to Canterbury Cathedral this afternoon at 3pm in the eastern crypt where St Thomas Becket’s body was first laid in 1170.
The occasion will recall nine penniless friars arriving at Dover in September 1224. After it had been established that they were not ‘robbers or vagabonds’ they were given a night’s accommodation and allowed to continue to Canterbury.
The original group arrived just four years after St Thomas Becket’s body had been placed upstairs in the new shrine.
They were invited to stay at the Poor Priests’ Hospital in Stour Street. Later their settlement for 300 years was an island on one of the River Stour braids. Today this is known as the Franciscan Gardens . A building straddling the water is the chapel.
The first Franciscans included William of Florence, Laurance of Beauvais and the the leader Agnellus of Pisa.
Leading today’s group is Friar Carlos Trovarelli, Minister General and the 120th successor to St. Francis of Assisi.
Expect to see the 21st-century Franciscans again at 11am on Wednesday 11 September in Canterbury Cathedral‘s crypt for Franciscan morning prayer.
Afterwards at 12.30pm the Anglican Mass will be celebrated on the lawn in front of the chapel in the Franciscan Gardens – entrance via Franciscan Gift Shop at 60 St. Peter’s Street, next to Eastbridge Hospital.
Back in 1224 four of the original party stayed only a few days before continuing to London on the Pilgrims’ Way. So today’s party will also follow the route to be in Southwark Cathedral for 9am morning prayer on Tuesday 17 September.
If it rains on St Swithun’s Day it will rain for forty days says the popular rhyme. The fortieth day is St Bartholomew’s Day Saturday 24 August.
Pilgrims’ Way
The Pilgrims’ Way has a church dedicated to Bartholomew found at Hyde Abbey on the edge of Winchester. St Swithun’s shrine is in Winchester Cathedral.
Another St Bartholomew church is at Otford in Kent where the routes from Southwark in London and Winchester converge.
Winchester
St Bartholomew’s Church at Winchester will be open on St Bartholomew’s Day Saturday 24 August 11am-4pm with refreshments and hourly tours. The Patronal Festival service is the following morning, Sunday at 10am.
Sandwich
The day is kept with much colour at Sandwich in Kent where St Thomas Becket landed from exile just weeks before his martyrdom at Canterbury twelve miles away.
The port belonged to Canterbury Cathedral whose sacred relics included St Bartholomew’s arm.
St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in Sandwich dates from about 1190 and was built as a hostel for pilgrims. It now provides almshouse accommodation.
The St Bartholomew’s Day service in the church at 11am is attended by the Mayor. Afterwards children run around the outside of the church to receive a current bun as a symbol of the food once provided to pilgrims. Adults at the service are given a specially baked biscuit embossed with the Hospital seal.
Sandwich also has a St Thomas’s Hospital built in the 14th century and dedicated to St Thomas Becket.
Who is St Bartholomew?
Bartholomew is one of the Twelve Apostles and patron of farmers who are much concerned about the weather at this time of the year.
The Mayor with the St Bartholomew Day buns (photo: traditionalcustomsandceremonies.wordpress.com)
*** St Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, died on 2 July 863 which is the date on which Norway observes St Swithun’s Day. The 15 July is the Translation of St Swithun recalling his body being moved on this day in 971 from the outside burial ground into the Old Minster (outlined in grass on cathedral’s north side). The body was moved again twice: in 1093, into the new cathedral, and in 1096 within the cathedral -always on 15 July.
*** The popular rhyme claiming that if it rains on 15 July it will rain for forty days dates from the 13th-century. The origin is a mystery but the shrine canopy features rain and sun. The weather forecast for Monday is rain.
*** If you are setting out from Southwark Cathedral you will find St Swithun and St Thomas Becket depicted together among the saints on the great screen behind the high altar.
St Swithun’s shrine at Winchester Cathedral.St Swithun (second left) at Southwark Cathedral holding the bridge he built over the River Itchen. Next to Swithun is St Thomas Becket (right).
Friday 12 July is the 850th anniversary of Henry II visiting Canterbury for the first time after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket four years earlier. In 1174 the 12 July also fell on a Friday.
The king, who had decided on his penitential pilgrimage only six days earlier, landed at Southampton from Normandy. Some maintain that he followed the Old Way which hugged the coast to Kent rather than heading for the ancient route out of Winchester.
However, on the morning of Friday 12 July 1174 he arrived in the village of Harbledown near Canterbury which was on the main road from London and is part of today’s pilgrim route.
Here the King dismounted to pray in the Hospital of St Nicholas which was 90 years old. As part of his penance for Becket’s murder he gave an annual grant of 20 marks to the lepers of Harbledown hospital.
it was a damp morning and from here the king, rather than remounting, walked along the road dotted with puddles to St Dunstan’s Church on the edge of Canterbury.
At the church he removed his rain protection clothing and shoes.
Henry then walked barefoot for quarter of a mile to enter Canterbury at the West Gate. Still barefoot he continued along the main street crossing a second braid of the River Stour where he granted the mill to Becket’s sister Rohesia. ASK on the site has plaque recording this.
After a further 300 yards on the cobbles he arrived at the cathedral as the bells rang. At once he knelt in the porch.
Inside Henry went directly to the martyrdom site where he kissed the flagstones on which Becket had fallen. It was another three years before the bloodstained stones were lifted
Finally he made his way to the crypt to kneel at the tomb of Becket the new saint. This where monks were required to whip the King.
The visit was not brief for the King kept overnight vigil at the tomb.
Pageant on Saturday 6 July
Canterbury is marking the Henry II anniversary a few days early with a Medieval Pageant and Family Trail on Saturday 6 July.
The Pageant, with giant models of the King and St Thomas Becket, starts at 11am from the West Gate and finishes in the Cathedral’s Precinct where at 11.45am there will be a scene depicting the King making his apology for Becket’s murder.
The Translation of St Thomas, marking the moving of Becket’s body in 1220 from the Canterbury Cathedral crypt to the new shrine upstairs, was always a bigger day for pilgrimage than the murder anniversary at Christmastime. Solemn Evensong with Procession to the shrine site is at 5.30pm and will be live-streamed on the cathedral website.
850th anniversary of Henry II’s Pilgrimage on Friday 12 July
