Westminster: Mass in honour of Saint Thomas Becket & visit of relics

14th century Anon

A Mass in honour of St Thomas Becket will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Monday, 23rd May at 5.30pm. The celebrants will be Cardinal Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Primate of Hungary and Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. The President of Hungary, Mr Janos Ader will be attending the Mass. A relic of St Thomas which has been venerated in Hungary for many centuries will be present at the Cathedral. This will be the first time that this relic of St Thomas Becket, which has been kept in Esztergom, Hungary for 800 years, will visit Britain.

The relic and reliquary statue of St Thomas Becket which is kept at Stonyhurst, will also be present at the Mass, along with other relics from around the United Kingdom.

During the week, the relic of St Thomas Becket from Esztergom will be displayed and celebrated together with other relics of St Thomas at Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace and Mercer's Chapel. At the end of the week, the relics will be transferred to Rochester Cathedral and then on to Canterbury Cathedral.

Details of the events of the St Thomas Becket pilgrimage are as follows:

23 May

4pm Relics from Esztergom,Hungary, St Magnus the Martyr, London, St Thomas of Canterbury, Fulham, St Thomas Church, Canterbury, and Stonyhurst arrive at Westminster Cathedral.

5pm Vespers, sung by Westminster Cathedral Choir.

5.30pm Solemn Mass in Westminster Cathedral, celebrated by Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

24 May

4pm Relics from Esztergom, St Magnus the Martyr, Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6DN, St Thomas of Canterbury, St Thomas Church, Stonyhurst and Westminster Cathedral arrive at Westminster Abbey.

5pm A service of Solemn Evensong sung jointly by the Cathedral and Abbey Choirs in the presence of János Áder, President of the Republic of Hungary.

25 May

The relic held in Esztergom will be displayed throughout the morning in St Margaret's Church, next to Westminster Abbey.

2.30pm The relic will be transferred to St Magnus the Martyr Church.

4pm Service for the public in St Magnus the Martyr Church, Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6DN).

26 May

The relic held in Esztergom, will be on display in St Margaret's Church next to Westminster Abbey throughout the day.

6.30pm Eric Symes Abbot Lecture on St Thomas Becket in Westminster Abbey (Roger Scruton).

27 May

The relic from Esztergom will be on display in St Margaret's Church by Westminster Abbey until 2pm.

4pm The relic from Esztergom will be transferred to Rochester.

5.30pm A service of solemn Evensong in Rochester Cathedral.

28 May

10.30am The relic from Esztergom will be displayed in Rochester Cathedral.
2pm The relic will be transferred to Canterbury.
2.45pm Pilgrims assemble at St Michael's Church, Harbledown (Summer Hill, Harbledown CT2 8NW)
3pm Pilgrims set off on foot from St Michael's to Canterbury Cathedral via Westgate Towers. The pilgrimage takes about 1 hour (1.5 miles).
4pm Pilgrims arrive at Canterbury Cathedral (the Precincts). The relic and pilgrims pass through the main entrance. The Dean and the leadership of the Cathedral receive pilgrims at the nave. Welcome service, speeches by religious and civic leaders.

29 May

1.30pm Mass at Canterbury Cathedral, in the crypt.