Relics and Pilgrimage

Yesterday afternoon there were two talks in the Cathedral Social Centre, focussing on relics and pilgrimage. Caroline Hull, the Cathedral's events co-ordinator, talked about relics and pilgrimage in the Middle Ages; her talk looked at some of the aspects of pilgrimage which are relevant to the forthcoming visit of St Thérèse. Afterwards Fr Andrew talked about the history of the relics of St Thérèse, speaking about how she had died in obscurity but devotion to her quickly spread after her death. The talk charted how Lisieux had quickly become a place of pilgrimage and how, after 1997, the relics themselves began to draw crowds all over the world. There is a talk on Thérèse's life in the Cathedral 'day chapel' tomorrow evening at 7:30pm; this coming Saturday there is a training session for anyone who would like to help with the visit (2-5pm at the Cathedral). There is also a day of recollection at Kendal and a session on the Carmelite Way in Carlisle. Full details of all these events can be found here. Meanwhile, it's now just two days until the relics arrive in England and two weeks until they reach Lancaster.