Of men and angels

Benedict of Peterborough wrote of how it was not easy to write of all the martyr's great deeds.

"If the Lord increased the grace of my humble gifts by multiples, if I spoke in the tongues of men and angels [1 Cor 13:1], if I were given hands that could write not just speedily like a scribe, but record most rapidly like a notary, my talent would still be overcome, my tongue would fail, and my fingers become senseless".

The passion and miracles of St Thomas Becket by Benedict of Peterborough (2025) Translated by Rachel Koopmans. Suffolk, Boydell Press. Book IV p.221.

The Camino to Santiago de Compostela led me to Canterbury and four years reading a BA in theology at Christ Church University. I am now privileged to serve pilgrims at Canterbury Cathedral as its Pilgrim Officer. My mission is to re-establish the Cathedral as the premier place for pilgrimage in the UK, as once it was in its medieval heyday, by creating new traditions for visiting pilgrims. One of which is to take a photo close to the miracle pilgrim stained glass windows in the Trinity Chapel. This incredible and expensive high art form was employed to portray the humble stories of ordinary people as witness to their journeys of healing. This is a tradition which I am re-establishing here at the Cathedral using modern digital tools.

This site is dedicated to offering pilgrims the chance to submit their pilgrim stories. Their reasons for pilgrimage and stories behind this undertaking of meaning seeking. Take the chance to write your story, submit it to us and we will curate a collection similar to that of Benedict of Peterborough, with a view to crate an annual exhibition where the stories told are translated into artwork by local schools.

We look forward to hearing your stories and safeguarding them for prosperity as part of the continuing history of Canterbury Cathedral.

Pilgrim Officer at Canterbury Cathedral