EARLY SAINTS OF NORTHERN ENGLAND A PILGRIMAGE TO NORTHUMBRIA AND HOLY ISLAND

Led by Fr Shaun Church

30th May - 4th June 2017

Pax Travel Ltd, 102 Blundell Street, London, N7 9BL Tel: 020 7485 3003 Email: [email protected] Web: www.paxtravel.co.uk Constantine the Great was proclaimed Emperor at York in 306, and, by the Edict of Milan in 313, allowed freedom of worship throughout the Roman Empire. In 314, the Council or Arles, which three British bishops attended, fixed a single date for Easter for the whole of Christendom. Cardinal Hume spent his early life in the north-east of England and had great admiration for the Northumbrian saints of the 7th to 9th centuries in that beautiful part of the country, In a journey that was broadcast on Channel 4 TV in 1993, he invites us to meet these wonderful personalities, Saints Aidan, Oswald, Cuthbert, Bede, Hilda and Benedict Biscop and others, who still have something important to say to us in our day. Guided by Cardinal Hume we trace the path of these people who brought a Golden Age to our land.

Day 1 – Tuesday 30th May 2017 London - Newcastle Travel by train from London Kings Cross to Newcastle, arriving in the afternoon. Check in for a five-night stay at Premier Inn Newcastle City Centre. Dinner will be in the hotel on each night of our stay.

Day 2 – Wednesday 31st May Durham Drive to the great cathedral city of Durham with connections to saints Oswald, Cuthbert and Bede. With the ravages of the Danes in the 9th century, the monks, with the head of St Oswald and the body of St Cuthbert, wandered for seven years before settling at Chester-le-Street. When miraculous signs were given to St Cuthbert’s body, it was moved to Durham. A stone chapel was built over it and Bishop Aldhon began a great church on an eminence at a bend in the River Weare which was consecrated in 999. This was later replaced by a Norman cathedral dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1104 the shrine of St Cuthbert was transferred to the new cathedral and now lies in a refectory behind the high altar. His stole, maniple and pectoral cross can be seen in the cathedral library. The Venerable Bede’s shrine was a destroyed at the Reformation but his tomb can still be seen in the Galilee chapel. We have a guided tour of the Cathedral and hope to celebrate Mass here. Lunch will be at choice. There will be some free time in Durham before transferring back to Newcastle.

Day 3 – Thursday 1st June The Farne Islands, land of St Cuthbert Drive north from Newcastle to the coastal town of Seahouses, where we take a two and a half hour boat ride to the Farne Islands, including a stop on Inner Farne which was home to St Cuthbert, who moved there after he had been the Prior of Lindisfarne . Cuthbert lived here until his death in 687 AD. We hope to be able to visit the 14th century church which was built on the site of the earlier Monastery dating from the time of Cuthbert and St Aidan. The church as well as the island itself is now under the care of the National Trust, and is also home to colonies of puffins, guillemots, terns and other species of bird. Return to the mainland where we will have the opportunity to buy fresh fish and chips for our lunch in Seahouses, before driving back to Newcastle with a short stop in the village of Alnmouth.

Day 4 – Friday 2nd June Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Our coach takes us to the churches and sites at Monkwearmouth and Jarrow which were founded by the widely travelled St Benedict Biscop. The chief record of these times we owe to one of the greatest Englishmen, the theologian and historian, the Venerable Bede. The Church of St Peter at Monkwearmouth and of St Paul at Jarrow are revered both for the very early Anglo-Saxon architecture that has survived and for their association with Saints Benedict Biscop and Bede. The dedicated stone of St Paul’s at Jarrow can still be seen in the church. Bede, the great teacher and historian, spent his life here, and died on the 27th May 735. He was buried at Monkwearmouth but in 1020 his bones were stolen by a monk and taken to Durham where they now lie in their great stone tomb in the Western Chapel known as Galilee. A short walk from St Paul’s Monastery is the museum formerly known as ‘Bede’s World’. Here, we will learn all about Bede and the Anglo-Saxon way of life in Northumbria. Mass will be celebrated during the day.

Day 5 – Saturday 3rd June Holy Island Early start to meet the tide times for the island. Drive to the village of Bamburgh, dominated by its castle. Here, we drive over the causeway to Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, once home to St Aidan and St Cuthbert. We visit the Lindisfarne Priory, founded by St Aidan in 635 but destroyed by the Danes in the 9th century. It was not until the 11th century that it was rebuilt by the Benedictines of Durham, later falling into ruin again after the dissolution of the Monasteries in 1535. Stones from the Priory were used in the construction of Lindisfarne Castle, built in 1549 as protection against Scottish raids. It too fell into ruin and was restored in 1900 by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the designer of the Cenotaph in Whitehall. We hope to celebrate Mass in the Catholic church, before returning to the mainland and drive back to Newcastle.

Day 6 – Sunday 4th June Newcastle - London Mass at the Catholic cathedral followed by free time in Newcastle before transferring to the station. Board the train for our return journey to London Kings Cross.

This tour involves a substantial amount of walking, some of which may be over irregular surfaces such as cobblestones and badly-maintained walking areas. If everyday walking is something you find difficult, this tour may be unsuitable for you.

This itinerary is subject to change without prior notification ADULT PRICE = £699 CHILD PRICE* = £299 *Based on two adults sharing. Max 2 adults and 2 children (15 and under) per room. Includes:  Return transportation by train from London Kings Cross to Newcastle station.  5-nights accommodation at Premier Inn Newcastle City Centre, in shared twin-bedded and single rooms with private facilities.  Meal plan: 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners.  Guided tours and entrance fees as per the itinerary.  Local coach transport as per the itinerary.  Experienced Pax Travel Tour Manager.  Religious services.  ABTA financial protection.

Extras:  Travel insurance, at £16.00 per person.  Lunches, drinks and gratuities.  Single room supplement at £180 for 5-nights accommodation (half of a full double room).

Terms of payment: Deposit of £200 (plus the insurance premium if the cover we offer is required) per adult. Deposit of £100 per child. Balance payable two months prior to departure.

The above price is guaranteed for bookings Pax Travel receives by 27th January 2017. Any bookings we receive after this date may be subject to a rail fare surcharge. All cheques to be made payable to Pax Travel Limited.

The pilgrimage by train in this brochure is ABTA Protected.