The sun is shining and the transformative power of getting outdoors beckons. Completing a Christian pilgrimage is well documented amongst those of other faiths or none —Retracing the ancient journeys of pilgrims can offer a profound experience and a welcome antidote to modern life.
The pilgrimage season which runs from Easter through to the end of October, offers an opportunity for spiritual renewal and discovery both here in our diocese and beyond. For a growing group of believers from St Mary’s The Virgin Church in Bishop’s Frome, the season is punctuated with visits to a very special Marian shrine in Little Walsingham, Norfolk.
Walsingham, often called "England's Nazareth," holds a special place in the heart of English Christianity. The Marian shrine, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, centres around devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham, whose shrine has welcomed pilgrims for nearly a thousand years. The devotion began in 1061 when Richeldis de Faverches received a vision of the Virgin Mary, who asked her to build a replica of the Holy House of Nazareth in Walsingham.
The Bishop’s Frome, Walsingham cell, is made up of group of Christians who enjoy traditional forms of worship and devotion that have sustained the faithful for generations. The shrine offers a sanctuary for Anglican Catholics to experience the richness of Marian devotion, traditional liturgy, and contemplative prayer within the familiar embrace of Anglican worship.
Lucy who is a member of the Walsingham cell group from Bishop’s Frome, Herefordshire explains: “Every year in late June a group of parishioners from our church [St Mary the Virgin in Bishops Frome] and churches in the Frome Valley go on Pilgrimage to Walsingham. It’s a wonderful experience”
The Feast days of The Annunciation (25th March), Assumption (15th August), and Our Lady of Walsingham (24th September) are used to celebrate Mass and the Bishop's Frome cell holds Masses on these dates as part of their preparation and reflection for their pilgrimages.
Lucy who has been visiting Walsingham for many years explains: “I have never known a time when God wasn’t in my life. I would recommend going, even if you think it isn’t for me. Long ago I said that and how wrong I was. Each time I visit the Shrine it strengthens my faith and gives me a great feeling of peacefulness.”
The pilgrimage typically includes visiting the Shrine Church of Our Lady, where pilgrims can pray in the chapel which is inside the main church. They participate in traditional services including sprinkling Holy Water from the ancient well on the steps, a powerful reminder of baptism and a symbol of cleansing from sin . There are also devotions such as the Rosary and Stations of the Cross. Many find that these ancient practices, rooted in Catholic tradition yet celebrated within Anglican understanding, open new pathways to encountering the divine and a place for spiritual healing.
Lucy adds: “There are said Masses each day and the opportunity to go to the healing services which include receiving the Holy water from the 11th century well. Then laying on of hands and receiving the sacrament of Holy oils is very special. There are so many things and people who have asked for my prayers and each day, I entrust all of them to The Blessed Mary Mother of God. It feels very special.”
Faith is a lived experience that unfolds through prayer, pilgrimage, and community. The shrine offers a place where tradition and personal faith intersect.
Lucy sums it up: “Walsingham has a great power and strong pull for me to return regularly. It’s a place where I can disconnect from the world, from social media and the noise. The utter silence feels profound, and I love it.”
The Holy Spirit's work through pilgrimage reminds us that faith is not confined to church buildings or Sunday worship alone. Christian faith is a journey that for some begins in a sacred place like Walsingham. It opens the possibility of being surprised to discover God's presence afresh - Walsingham represents Mary's "yes" to God and shows how the ancient prayers rise to meet contemporary faith.
As this pilgrimage season continues, perhaps the Spirit is calling you to consider your journey, and there’s much to explore, not just in Walsingham but here in our diocese, where the number of pilgrimage routes has continued to grow. The well known and popular Golden Valley pilgrimage route provides a contemplative path through Herefordshire's ancient landscape, where pilgrims can follow the footsteps of centuries of faithful seekers. The Abbesses' Way in Much Wenlock traces the sacred heritage of medieval religious life, offering modern pilgrims a chance to encounter God's presence in the quiet beauty of Wenlock Abbey. These local routes provide the same opportunity for disconnection from worldly noise and reconnection with divine silence along the sacred paths that wind through our beautiful diocese.