”
… and specially from every shire’s end
Of England to Canterbury they wend
The holy blissful martyr for to seek….
”
“… and specially from every shire’s end
Of England to Canterbury they wend
The holy blissful martyr for to seek….”
These famous lines may seem familiar to many readers from their study of English literature. They were written in the 14th century by the poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his great series work, “The Canterbury Tales.”
On Oct. 28, the Very Rev. Robert Willis appeared in San Jose to address a group called Friends of Canterbury Cathedral in the U.S. Willis is the Dean (priest in charge) of England’s Canterbury Cathedral; he discussed the history of this ancient building, its continued importance today and some of the strains within current Anglican Christianity.
Canterbury Cathedral can be considered the “mother church” of all English-speaking Christians, of whatever denomination; all Christians who worship in English can trace themselves back to this edifice. It was established in 597 by St. Augustine, who was sent from Rome by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons living in Kent, the southern kingdom in what is now England. As such, it is the oldest institution in the United Kingdom.
Dean Willis commented that only two things remain from that historical event:
n A Book of Gospels brought by St. Augustine (“flimsy parchment and ink”)
n The human community of prayer lasting through succeeding generations.
A tragic event in 1170 put Canterbury “on the map,” so to speak. King Henry II, exasperated at Archbishop Thomas Becket’s refusal to grant him authority over the English church, asked some knights: “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” The knights proceeded to murder Becket near the High Altar of the church as he was conducting Vespers, making Becket a martyr and Canterbury one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage destinations.
T.S. Eliot’s poetic drama “Murder in the Cathedral,” written in 1935, reports this episode from history, as does the 1964 motion picture “Becket” with Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton. Centuries later, another Henry (VIII) exacted posthumous revenge on Becket by destroying his jewel-encrusted shrine in 1538 as part of the English Reformation. Today a candle and simple plaque mark the site where pilgrims for centuries have venerated the saint.
Unfortunately, Canterbury Cathedral is struggling to cope with the ravages of time and pollution while continuing to serve God. Its mission is “to show people Jesus,” and 1.4 million visitors from around the world visited last year. Dean Willis commented that is is difficult to distinguish “tourists” from “pilgrims” because “both move forward to a location and bring something back with them, a memory, an experience.”
The cathedral also sponsors meetings of groups in its state-of-the-art conference center. This summer Anglican/Episcopal bishops from 164 countries will gather there for the Lambeth Conference, held every 10 years to discuss theological and other issues.
But this World Heritage site is in need of major repairs. Stone walls, glass windows and lead roofing have badly deteriorated. A fund-raising drive is seeking $100 million. Since it costs some $24,000 per day to simply run the cathedral and the U.K. government provides no funding, English-speaking Christians from around the globe are being asked to consider donations. The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral in the U.S., sponsor of the San Jose event, will provide more information as well as accept contributions.
For more information, see www.foccus.us.
