Pilgrims-gatherlo-commemorate---

despoliation of Marian shrine
Walsingham, Canterbury, Durham or Compostella... Leigh Hatt s suggests some destinations for a thoroughly modern pilgrimage.
IN THIS Marian Year many will wish to make a pilgrimage to Walsingham. Even without this encouragement it would still have been a special year in Walsingham for 1988 is the fiftieth anniversary of the Holy Ghost Chapel next door to the Slipper Chapel and the erection of the first open air altar nearby. Cardinal Hinsley led a huge youth procession to the shrine on Our Lady's birthday.
But this is a special year too for the Anglican shrine church which also celebrates its fiftieth anniversary. It is customary for Anglican pilgrims to walk the Holy Mile to the Slipper Chapel and Catholics like to visit the Anglican shrine to see the reconstruction of the Holy House where Mary and Joseph brought up Jesus. And at both shrines it is remembered that this is the 450th anniversary of the despoiling of the original shrine and the removal of the statue of Our Lady to be burnt in Chelsea.
Today Walsingham's revival continues to grow in an encouraging spirit. There will be an ecumenical procession round the village on the Eve of the Assumption. Even the former railway station has been given an onion dome and become the Orthodox church. Another special centre for pilgrimage this year is Canterbury where St Dunstan's Millennium is being observed. There are numerous special events planned and on St Dunstan's Day (May 19) Dr Runcie will lead a procession from the Cathedral to St Augustine's Abbey where the Virgin Mary appeared to Dunstan in the Lady Chapel.
In the nearby converted St Margaret's Church there is the the ground on top of the rock in new "Jorvik" style "Pilgrims 995.
Way" attraction which attempts But the greatest pilgrimage, to recreate the Becket after the Holy Land and Rome pilgrimages of Chaucerian is to the shrine of St James the times. Great at Compostella in north In Durham tourism is tied to west Spain. This too has seen a St Cuthbert. The local "Land Of great revival of interest with The Prince Bishops" promotion many wanting to arrive on foot. aims to encourage visitors to go The traditional routes from the beyond the Norman cathedral north are described in the first where St Cuthbert has been known guidebook written by a buried since his coffin stuck to monk in the 12th century.