The Walsingham Festival marks a century since the restoration of Our Lady Walsingham, an important religious shrine, with its pilgrimage to Durham marking the furthest point north the image has travelled in the lifetime of the shrine. The date of the festival, 15 October, signifies 90 years since the image of Our Lady was relocated from Father Patten’s parish church to the Holy House in Walsingham, where pilgrims continue to pray today.
The Right Reverend Philip North CMP, Bishop of Burnley and Master of the Guardians, explains,
“In 1922 a priest called Father Alfred Hope Patten had a beautiful image of Our Lady carved and set up in the Parish Church of St Mary in Walsingham. People began to travel to that church to pray there and to be inspired by Mary’s example because she always shows us how we can be better disciples of her Son, Jesus Christ.”
Something remarkable had happened. The pilgrimage to Walsingham, suppressed in 1538 under the orders of Henry VIII, had been restored: and so, in 2022, we can rejoice and give thanks for the centenary of that restoration."
The festival began at Durham Cathedral with Eucharist in the morning and welcomed pilgrims with organ music as they gathered around the image of Our Lady in the Galilee Chapel. The service included a procession around the cathedral with the Bishop of Durham and the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle invited to present and the Bishop of Burnley and the Bishop of Chichester welcomed to Durham to preside and preach.
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, Acting Dean of Durham, said, ‘We were delighted to welcome the Walsingham Pilgrimage to Durham. This was an historic moment and the sight of the Image of Our Lady of Walsingham in what was the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral was moving and inspiring. The tradition of Walsingham brings great faith to the Church and guides us on in our own pilgrimage of faith in Christ.’
In the afternoon, the entire congregation followed the image of Our Lady in a procession around Palace Green and back into the cathedral. The festival ended with the cathedral Evensong to conclude the monumental celebration.
Durham Cathedral was founded as a place of hospitality and prayer for pilgrims visiting the resting place of St Cuthbert. Today it continues to welcome individuals and groups arriving on pilgrimage as well as special celebrations such as the Walsingham Festival.