The National Pilgrimage to St. Albans to Honor Britain's First Martyr (2001)

The colorful and festive national pilgrimages that take place annually at several shrines in F.ngland are largely unknown to Anglicans outside the United Kingdom. Held annually on a Saturday close to the feast day of the saint, the National Pilgrimage at St. Albans occurs at the city of that name in Hertfordshire, about twenty miles northwest of London. The first British martyr, Alban was a Roman citizen (and perhaps a soldier) who came come under the influence of the priest Amphibalus and secretly became a Christian. When the priest was about to be arrested, Alban insisted that they change clothes, thereby allowing him to escape. Alban refused to acknowledge the pagan gods and was beheaded about the year 250. According to the sources, miracles of healing then began to attract pilgrims to the hill where he was martyred. Within a century, after it was safe to acknowledge their faith, Christians built the first church on the site of his martyrdom. In the eighth century King Otta founded a monastery there. Soon after the Norman Conquest, a large abbey was consecrated in 1115. The massive central brick tower, the transepts, and the eastern portion of the nave were retained as the church was enlarged in following centuries. Later additions-including the thirteenth-century Lady Chapel, the fourteenth-century rood screen, and the fifteenth-century reredos of the high altar-also survive. Although the nave was extended westward and the west front was begun, the church was never completed. After the dissolution of the English monasteries in the sixteenth century, the building was largely abandoned and stripped of its Christian images. The town was too small to support such a large church. Other monastic buildings were scavenged for building supplies. A stone wall was built separating the Lady Chapel from the saint's shrine, and the two buildings were used for a school and consistory court, respectively. In the nineteenth century, generous donations from a devout and wealthy anglo-catholic layman made the restoration of the church possible. In 1877 it was designated as the cathedral of a new diocese, St. Albans. Saturday, 17 June 2000, was a perfect early summer day for this occasion, which is also known as the Festival of St. Alban the Martyr. Between one and two thousand people were present. Although some attended all the events, most came for one or two services and stayed a few hours. Dressed informally, the pilgrims came individually and with parish and family groups. That morning the cathedral held simple celebrations of morning prayer at 8:30 A.M. and the eucharist at 9:00 A.M. At 9:30 A.M. there was an Orthodox celebration of the Liturgy in the Lady Chapel. This service was attended by about seventy people and was supported by an exceptionally fine choir of about ten. Included in the congregations for this and for the Anglican eucharist at mid-day were members of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius, an organization founded in 1928 to foster mutual respect between Orthodox and western Christians. Around 11:00 A.M. pilgrims began to assemble in the valley of the river Ver, the site of the Roman city of Verulamium. After a brief prayer service, the procession-led by a crucifer and two torch bearers-began to ascend the hill to the cathedral. It included laymen (some carrying parish banners), priests in black cassocks, and the honored guest for the day, the bishop of London, wearing a deep red cassock. As the procession neared the cathedral, loudspeakers along the route amplified the organ to support the singing of several hymns printed in the service booklet for the day. The procession passed through the surviving medieval gatehouse of the monastery to the west entrance of the cathedral. Several hundred additional pilgrims were waiting outside and within the cathedral. After all were settled in the nave, the clergy retired to the chapter house for a few minutes to vest. At noon the clergy procession reemerged from the chapter house. …