A Day in St Albans

 

 

A Former Benedictine Abbey Church in All its Glory

Cathedral & Abbey Church in St Albans –  Hertfordshire

 It ceased to be an Abby in the 16th century and became a cathedral in 1877.

 

St Alban’s Abbey, with the shrine of England’s first martyr, became prestigious and important throughout most of the medieval period and it was England’s premier Benedictine abbey.Rich the Benedictine heritage of this place of worship …

St Benedict taught that “Proper honour must be shown to all, especially to pilgrims.” Hospitality is at the heart of the story of Alban who welcomed the fugitive priest.Today pilgrims from many different Christian denominations are encouraged to follow his ways.The largest of these pilgrimages takes place in June, at St Alban’s Day, with many thousands converging on the cathedral.

* A day after officiating the Royal wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle, Archbishop Justin Welby addressed hundreds of Christians at St Albans Cathedral on the eve of Pentecost Sunday (May 20), marking the end of the prayer movement ‘Thy Kingdom Come’.

** During the service he also blessed 500 postcards carrying prayers and strength for GCSE and A-Level students ahead of their exams.Additionally,there were prayer stations focused on social justice themes,including praying for people trapped in modern-day slavery.

 

What’s this Soldier Puppet doing under the Rose Window of St Alban ?

 

– Working On a Project – The Alban Pilgrimage 2018 – Saturday 23rd June –

As part of the Alban,Britain’s First Saint Project,students from Oaklands College are working throughout March 2018 to create a new puppet for the Pilgrimage Event.

The Alban Pilgrimage takes place annually and is held in honour of the city’s namesake,St Alban, who died on 22nd June over 1700 years ago.He was executed for giving shelter to a Christian priest later named Amphibalus who was fleeing persecution by the Romans.Moved by the priest’s faith,Alban became a Christian and the two men swapped cloaks, enabling the priest to escape.Alban was arrested instead, brought to trial and executed on the hill where St Albans Cathedral now stands.

Stunning 12-ft tall carnival puppets and a procession of around 300 children,teenagers and adults from the local community dramatize the tale of Alban’s martyrdom,with the final scene taking place at the West End of St Albans Cathedral,the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.It’s a wonderful spectacle as giant carnival puppets tell the story of the remarkable man who gave the city its name.

Roman chariots,centurions,lions and roses all take their place in the dramatic procession from St Peter’s Church,through the historic streets to St Albans.

* Stephen Hawking (1942–2018),theoretical physicist, was educated at St Albans School.

 

 Enough of History and Culture – Time for a glass of Binghams Vanilla Stout or a pint of Bitter at the oldest octagonal pub near St Albans Cathedral,just outside the perimeter of Verulamium Park.

 

Enigmatic and very long the story of -Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – …
Since it was founded in the 8th century,it has had many names.
– Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – has to do with its history of cockfighting,a blood sport banned in UK in the 1800s.

Cockfighting was banned outright in England and Wales and in the British Overseas Territories with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835.Sixty years later,in 1895,cockfighting was also banned in Scotland, where it had been quite common in the 18th century.In 2015 PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ) wrote to the pub’s landlord and its owners,requesting that they should change the name due to its cockfighting association.It should be renamed to “Ye Olde Clever Cocks” to reflect compassion for animals.The request was declined.

* PETA director said: “Changing the name would reflect today’s rejection of needless violence and help celebrate chickens as the intelligent,sensitive & social animals they are.

Well,”Ye Olde Fighting Cocks ” or “Ye Olde Clever Cocks ” ?

Good question mark.

And after enjoying a pint of Bitter and learning a few things about the story of the “Listed Historic Building” of the pub,we headed to the nearby park for an afternoon walk around the Lake.

Verulamium Park in the City of St Albans,located just below St Albans Abbey.

Beautiful parkland with a fantastic lake,fed by the River Ver,and home to a wealth of waterbirds and wildlife habitats enjoying trees and grassland.

The Park is named after the Roman City of Verulamium on which it stands.Hundreds of remarkable objects,excavated from the ground,are displayed in Verulamium Museum.

 

 

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I caught some ducks still swimming and playing and Ms Mallard flirting with water & handsome lads … ♥

 

 

Dilemma … ” To Dive, or Not to Dive … “

I went near the lake and started talking to them.Come on beautiful ducks,let’s play near The Lake,nobody will see us,(DDG) – DuckDuckGo protects our Privacy on the Interner World …

♩♪♫♬ Duck, Duck, Goose – Duck, Duck, Gray Duck … .♩♪♫♬

Drip, Drip, Drop .. ♩♪♫♬ .. ,sing & dance around The Lake …

” More rain, more rest; more water will suit the ducks best … “

Soon,it started raining,it was a duck & dive situation,ideal for the beautiful,undecided ducks …

After playing on words & having fun with the ducks in Verulamium Park;

 

The Birds & I decided to Call it a Day …