Updates – Page 17 – Advent to Easter

Carlin Peas for Passion Sunday at Borough Market

In the north-east of England it is the tradition to eat Carlin Peas on Passion Sunday. That is next Sunday 18 March so if you want to join in the custom now is the time to buy the peas. Ken Bentley’s shop in Great Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire (Bentley’s Delicatessen, 31 Market […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Mothering Sunday: It’s about mother church too

Mothering Sunday this weekend is likely to feature flowers, cake and even hugging. The flowers will predominately be those Lent Lilies, or daffodils, seen on St David’s Day at the beginning of the month. But in some places not only will mother be given a hug but so will the church. Expect to see […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

St David’s Day

The first day of March is St David’s Day. David is the only patron saint in the British Isles to be born in his own country. So the focus is on St David’s Cathedral in his home city of St Davids. There is no snow there but it is very cold -about -2deg C. This […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Family Fast Day

CAFOD Family Fast Day is on Friday 23 February. Over the past sixty years this has become part of Lent for many. The idea is to give up the day’s main meal, by just having maybe soup, and send the cost to CAFOD. CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development working alongside Christian Aid. […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

First Sunday of Lent

The first of the six Sundays of Lent is this weekend. Church is a little plain from this Sunday. There are no flowers or Gloria. Vestments are purple. You might hear the haunting Lent Prose which is derived from the Mozarabic breviary. This comes between the readings with the theme of water and baptism, which […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Ash Wednesday fish

This morning the people of Ivrea, near Turin, are recovering from spending the last few days throwing oranges at each other. Ivrea carnival is unusual. The split and squashed fruit is now lying mushy in the streets which have a smell reminiscent of marmalade. But the main square is already hosed down and chefs, […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Shrove Tuesday: Pancakes & street football

Shrove Tuesday remains deep within the English culture so there are lots of pancake races today. In London you will find one at the Houses of Parliament, Borough Market and Guildhall. The oldest race is at Olney in Buckinghamshire at 11.55am. It takes just five minutes to dash from the Market Place to the church. In the […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

St Valentine’s Day cancelled

This year you will not find St Valentine in the Church calendar. Wednesday 14 February is Ash Wednesday which takes precedence. It’s 73 years since these two days clashed. As the Second World War drew to a close there was little mention of St Valentine’s Day. Should we decline to give chocolates and refuse flowers? […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Fat Thursday doughnuts

Here is an early reminder that Lent starts next week. It’s Fat Thursday in Poland today when doughnuts are eaten all over the country. There are always debates over which shop is selling the best. The doughnut top is either dusted in sugar or covered in icing. The traditional filling is rose jam. Look out […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023

Updates

Candlemas at Ripon

Candlemas at Yorkshire’s Ripon Cathedral is always dramatic. On Friday night there were around 4000 candles. Lighting them started at about 5.45pm in order to have every one lit by the start of the Choral Eucharist at 7.30pm. Ripon has a tradition of decorating every ledge with a light and even creating patterns and pictures […]

Leigh Hatts 7 years agoOctober 29, 2023