Meeting Munching and Marching

This week I visited the small village in Norfolk which has become known as England’s Nazareth. The legend says that in the year 1061 the Lady of the manor Richeldis de Faverches received a vision of the Virgin Mary in which she was told to build a house, like the house Mary, Jesus and possibly Joseph lived in at Nazareth.

To cut a long story short the village of Walsingham, where the noble family lived became a centre of Christian pilgrimage. After the Reformation holy pilgrimages were banned, but the practice was revived in the twentieth century and pilgrims have been coming to the Walsingham ever since.

THE MEETING

At Whitsuntide – you remember Whitsuntide – it was when we had a week’s holiday once upon a time! On Whit Monday Walsingham hosts The National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our lady of Walsingham. People (and especially clergy) come from all over the UK to join in the fun.

There’s lots of dressing up. Old friends meet and then everyone meets for worship in the old abbey grounds. At midday they celebrate Mass and hope it doesn’t rain. This year there was bright sunshine – so lucky.

THE MUNCHING

Once that service is over everyone sits down among the abbey ruins for lunch – usually picnics they have brought with them.

The munching that goes on is quite unmistakable. Clergy in cassocks, nuns in their habits – it’s like the feeding of the 5000 without the loaves and fishes. A real carnival atmosphere.

THE MARCHING

After lunch there is another service – more of an address really. This year the preacher was a Coptic Orthodox Archbishop, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos – delightful man who I first photographed 10 years ago – not that he remembered, but he is unmistakable  even when I am squinting through the tiny viewfinder on the camera.

Then comes the marching as the statue of Mary is carried in procession through the grounds and through the village itself.

Most of the congregation join in the line up – that is apart from the aged and infirm – and of course the protesters.

Well I suppose if you take up a position at one extreme of the spectrum you must expect that there are those who will disagree with you. I think it is all fairly good natured – even so there are always a couple of Police on hand, but I noticed this year they weren’t overtaxed. The most badly behaved, as usual were the cameramen!

It was a good day out – lots of colour – tons of cooperation by the authorities and an opportunity for some slightly more unusual pictures of the serious dressing up that some Anglican clergy go in for.