PILGRIMAGE TO WINCHESTER - 16TH OF SEPTEMBER 2023

With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, our pilgrimage will take place in the city of Winchester, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Wessex. We shall celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the majestic 12th century church of the Holy Cross, by kind permission of the Master of the associated Hospital of St Cross. Weather permitting, we shall have a picnic lunch on the banks of the nearby River Itchen, before walking to the historic cathedral in the heart of the city. There we shall celebrate a moleben at the shrine of St Swithun, a bishop of Winchester in the 9th century who was subsequently glorified by God by numerous miracles. His shrine in the cathedral was a popular pilgrimage destination until its destruction in the reign of Henry VIII. The contemporary symbolic shrine remains a focus of prayer and has recently been adorned with a number of icons depicting the Lord, the Mother of God, St Swithun and other local saints, including St Birinus, Apostle to the West Saxons.

 

Timetable

from10:40 Arrive at the Hospital of the Holy Cross
(please do not enter the church before this time as there will be a service taking place).

11:00 Hours & proskomidia

11:30 Divine Liturgy - Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St Edward, King & Martyr

13:15 Time to look round church

14:00 Picnic lunch (bring your own) in nearby park (if wet, in St Faith’s Parish Hall nearby)

15:00 Bus (1 or 69, 10 min) or walk (20 min) to Winchester Cathedral
(At the entrance, say that you are coming for the Orthodox service at the shrine.
Hopefully, they will waive the usual £12.50 entry fee)

16:00 Moleben at shrine of St Swithun behind the High Altar

16:30 Depart

NB There is virtually no parking near Holy Cross. We suggest to park at the Railway Station car park and take a no. 1 bus to the Bell Inn, from which it is a very short walk to Holy Cross.

We suggest you join the pilgrimage WhatsApp group for updates to the programme and practical information.