The Pilgrimage, which took place last Saturday, was a great success, and despite heavy rainstorms the day before and a few hours later, the procession took place in sunshine. We have done it with umbrellas, but we didn't need them this year!
Mass was accompanied by the Schola Abelis (for the Chant, which we endeavoured to sing in as authentic a Dominican fashion as we could), and the Newman Consort, for polyphony. The Newman sang a Mass by the Flemish Renaissance composer Clemens non papa, Missa Ecce quam bonum and the same composer's motet Ego flos campi. It was very beautiful, if you weren't there you really missed out!
These photos include some distinctive aspects of the traditional Dominican Rite which is a special feature of the Oxford Pilgrimage. Top, the gesture the celebrant makes after the Consecration, with arms outstretched, is preserved in the Dominican Rite, having been lost in the Roman Rite.
Here the deacon presents the Pax Brede (or Osculatorium) to the acolytes at the Kiss of Peace; this is a custom developed first in England which spread throughout Europe in the later Middle Ages, again has been mostly lost in the Roman Rite but is preserved in the Dominican Rite.
Another characteristic feature of ancient English customs is the 'housling cloth'; churches with Rood Screens of course didn't have communion rails (though the modern Rood Screen at St Birinus in Dorchester cleverly doubles as one); nor had the Communion Plate come into use. Instead Communion was distributed over a long, thin strip of linen designed to catch the crumbs, held at either end. Such cloths were also used in conjunction with the Communion Rail (and indeed Communion Plate) up to the Council in some places, but here it is in its original context. In point of fact, the cloth is particularly useful for the Communion of the Faithful in this church since the Communion Rails were removed in the course of the liturgical revolution.
Above, the blessing. Mass was celebrated by Fr Richard Conrad OP; Fr John Saward was deacon, and Br Oliver Keenan OP was subdeacon. The acolytes were Dominican students.
The mock-up gallows which come out for the pilgrimage when we visit the site of the Town Gallows, on the corner of Holywell Street, Longwall Street and Manor Road, where two Catholic priests and two laymen helping them were executed in 1589: Bl George Nichols, Bl Richard Yaxley, Bl Thomas Belson, and Bl Humphrey Prichard.
The pilgrims walked in procession to the site of martyrdom and back from there to Blackfriars, with the LMS banner and the processional statue of Our Lady of Walsingham we had on the Walsingham Pilgrimage, as well as a processional cross. Fr Richard led the procession, and (below) concluded the pilgrimage with Benediction.
More photos here.
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