Millennium Cross arrives at Ampleforth

Source: Ampleforth

The Millennium Cross, which stood outside Westminster cathedral since December 2000, was flown by helicopter to Ampleforth Abbey in north Yorkshire yesterday. Built as part of the millennium celebrations, the cross was an idea of the late Cardinal Basil Hume. Sadly he never saw it in place.

Airlifted into place by an RAF Chinook helicopter, the five ton, 50 foot high structure will now stay at the abbey where Cardinal Hume was a monk, and then abbot from 1963-1976.

The Abbot of Ampleforth, Fr Timothy Wright said: "The cross has being erected here in memory of Cardinal Basil, who became a figure of humility in high office that endeared him to the whole population.

"The community has a particular stake in his commemoration.

"An important part of the reasoning behind siting the cross so prominently has been to give expression to the strong sense that this exceptional man belonged to each of us in a personal way."