The relics of one of England's most beloved saints will be on display in Northampton Cathedral during "The Becket Festival" running from 7 – 9 July.
The festival will be preceded by a Mass to celebrate the translation of the English martyr's relics, which will take place at 11 a.m. on the morning of Friday 6 July, <a href="https://northamptondiocese.org/relics/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">notes</mark></a> the Catholic Diocese of Northampton.
A "translation" of relics refers to the formal movement of holy objects – most commonly those relics related to a saint – from one place to another, and is typically accompanied by ceremonies and events.
The Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate and St Thomas of Canterbury will be celebrated by the new Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, His Excellency, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia. The Nuncio will be visiting the diocese for the first time since his appointment to Britain.
The Apostolic Nuncio is the personal representative of Pope Francis to the Court of St James’s – the royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. His role is equivalent to that of an ambassador, representing the Holy See to the UK Government.
When Thomas Becket was murdered on 29 December 1170, he was buried in haste in the crypt of the Cathedral in Canterbury. Due to the large number of pilgrims his tomb attracted, plans were made to move his body to a more impressive location in the upper church.
However, the occurrence of a fire slowed the progress, on top of which tensions between the monks, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the King and the Pope meant it was not until 1215 that plans could be drawn up for the translation. The translation of the relics eventually took place in 1220.
“The Catholic Diocese of Northampton is proud to have St Thomas Becket as a patron,” Bishop David Oakley, Bishop of Northampton said.
“The Becket Festival is an opportunity for us all to celebrate the blessings of being a people of faith and social needs outreach throughout the Catholic communities of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Slough.”<br><br>An ecumenical walking pilgrimage to various sites related to Becket around Northampton will take place from Northampton Cathedral on Saturday 6 July at 1.30 p.m.<br><br>The route will go from the cathedral to Holy Sepulchre Church, Beckets Well and on to St Peter’s Church, Marefair. As Norman churches, both Holy Sepulchre and St Peter’s would have been familiar to Thomas Becket. The 900-year-old church of St Peter's was a Royal seat, and is next to Northampton Castle. It was here that Thomas Becket’s trial took place in 1164.
The festival will end on Sunday 7 July with a lecture by Fr Gerard Skinner. The diocese notes that "all are welcome" to join the lecture in the St Thomas Centre at 3 p.m. followed by Vespers at 4 p.m. in the cathedral. Further details are available <a href="https://northamptondiocese.org/relics/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">here</mark></a>. <br><br><em>Photo: Thomas a Becket, English saint, martyr, knight, chancellor and archbishop of Canterbury, is brutally murdered by four knights, Hugh de Merville, William de Tracy, Reginald Fitzurse and Richard le Breton, in Canterbury Cathedral at the request of King Henry II, 1170. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images.)</em>
