THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMAGE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 50, 18 September 1891, Page 7

THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMAGE.

THB Catholic*. Times, July 10, describing this year's pilgrimage to Canterbury, says :— B At half-past nine the London contingent of the pilgrimage, some 250 strong, assembled at Holbnrn Viaduct Station, most of those present wearing the badge of the Guild of Ransom. A special train had been provided for the pilgrimage. Canterbury was reached at 8 few minutes before noon. There the London pilgrims found contingents from Dover, Ramsgate, Margate, Ashford, Sheerness and Chatham, in all some 300 strong, waiting to join them. The weather had been showery during the latter part of the journey, but it cleared up for a while, and thus enabled the procession to proceed to the Catholic church, which formed part of the programme to be succesfully carried out. With the priests in front the six hundred pilgrims marched from the station into the city The Bight of the long line, with its Catholic banners displayed silently advancing between the quaint fronts of the old houees, was a very Btriking one. It was like a ressurectton of the Catholic past. The Canterbury people gathered in groups to see their visitors pass At the corner of Merry-lane, near the eight of the inn where Chaucer's pilgrimage ended, the procession wheeled into the narrow way leading to the cathedral. At Oaristchurch Gate it again turned to the right, and following the line of Burgate street, reached the modern Catholic Church of St. Thomas. The church was completely filled by the pilgrims, the clergy occupying the sanctuary, where the relics of St. Thomas were exposed amid lighted candles at the Gosoel Bide of the altar. * In the church the Litany of the Holy Name was recited, prayers ! were said for the conversion of England, and the hymn of the Blessed I Sacrament was sung. Then th. pilgrims, no longer in procession ■et out for the visit to the cathedral. The Anglican Dean of Canterbury had with great kindness,' renewed the privileges granted to the pilgrims last year. Every part of the cathedral was freely open to anyone bearing the badee i of Our Lady of Ransom or showing the pilgrimage ticket j and it I must be added that the verger and other officials showed everywhere the most courteous attention to their visitor*, The first plaoe vjsited

was the Chapter House. Permission had been given by the Dean for a short introductory lecture to be delivered here, and a platform had been erected for the purpose, The pilgrims then visited the choir, the chapel of the martyrdom, the crypt and the nave. At each hallowed spot they knelt and prayed silently. Their whole reverend devout demeanour was as different as possible from that of the average sight-seer.

It was not until after 2 o'clock that, the visit to the c&tUdral having been completed, the pilgrims mustered for dinner at the Coocert Hall in St. Margaret's street. Dinner over, the pilgrims separated. One party went out to Bt. Martin's Church, the oldest sanctuary in Canterbury; another party proceeded to the Jesuit college of St. Mary, visiting on the way St. Dunstan's Church, where the head of Blessed Thomas More is buried in the tomb of the Roper family. A third party went to St. Augustine's College, which stands on the site and includes some remains of the great Benedictine monastery of the same name. Canon Scott Holland, one of the chaplains of the cathedral, also conducted a small party through the choir and chapels in the afternoon, drawing freely upon his rich store of local antiquarian knowledge for their benefit.