Having arrived late Friday afternoon, we were shuttled from the Keflavik airport (about 30 miles from Reykjavik) to the bus station and schlepped our luggage about a mile and a half to our hostel, looking forward to heading out Saturday morning on the “Classic Golden Circle Tour”, an 8-hour guided bus tour. Even got to practice my Welsh with a Welsh woman at the bus stop! – she said my pronunciation was excellent- a elli di’i gredu?) First stop was at the largest lake in Iceland – Thingvallavatn. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 4”
Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 3
Arrived on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne – sometime home of St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert – at safe crossing time of about 7pm (one must wait for low tide). Stayed at the Open Gate Retreat House…. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 3”
Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 2
Rising above the river Wear is Durham Cathedral (a World Heritage site and according to Bill Bryson, “the best cathedral on planet earth”). On our last trip to England in 2005, we trained up to Durham, but in order to make our other commitments and schedules, it left only an hour and a half to see the Cathedral. We weren’t going to make the same miscalculation this time! As soon as we plunked down our bags, we headed for the cathedral and venerated the relics of St. Bede in the Galilee Chapel (and were allowed to offer very quiet prayers) and then venerated the relics of St. Cuthbert (and likely the head of St. Oswald and possibly relics of St. Aidan) in the shrine behind the High Altar – silence paramount – no vocal prayers allowed. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 2”
Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 1
My little pilgrim, Peregrine, (did you know there were pilgrim action figures?) which my wife bought me in France last year, accompanied us on our journey to the holy places of Great Britain. Here I must stop, even before I begin, to give a little of the backstory of this pilgrimage. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 1”
Pilgrimage!
On August 19, my wife, Kh. Helen (Nancy) and I will be departing, Lord willing, for a pilgrimage to the holy islands of Iona and Lindisfarne, and points in between, with our friends Fr. Nicholas Alford and Kh. Becky. I won’t be posting during that time, as I hope to be as far away from a computer as possible. I do hope to record some reflections on the journey, which I will share after our return (September 3). May God grant us a safe journey.