Pilgrimage to Little Walsingham – England’s Nazareth celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Orthodox Shrine Chapel Monday, 19thMay – Thursday, 22nd May 2025
Walsingham is a small village in East Anglia not far from the North Nolfolk coast. It is also England’s most important holy place dedicated to the Mother of God. In the middle of the 11th Century, a local noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, received a series of visions of the Mother of God, who instructed her to build a replica of the Holy House of Nazareth. A holy spring appeared at the place where the Holy House was built, and large numbers of healings began. Walsingham rapidly became an important place of pilgrimage, with thousands of people, including many kings and queens, flocking to seek the help of the Mother of God at England’s Nazareth. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII, in 1538, the Holy House, the Image of the Mother of God and the monastery that had sprung up around them were destroyed.
In 1921 the Vicar of Little Walsingham, Father Hope Patten, restored veneration of the Mother of God, and set about raising money to establish a new shrine, which he succeeded in doing in 1931. Whilst the new shrine church was being built, a holy well was uncovered, connected to the same source as the original holy spring, and healings started once again.
From the time of its restoration, Orthodox people (both emigres who had fled the Russian Revolution and later Polish Orthodox prisoners of war living in the area) were involved in the construction of the new shrine. A small Orthodox Chapel was established within the Shrine Church, dedicated to the Mother of God of Perpetual Succour. The chapel was consecrated on 21st May 1945 by Archbishop Sawa of Grodno and Novogrodek, of the Polish Orthodox Church.
This year a special pilgrimage is being arranged to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the consecration of the Orthodox Chapel. The pilgrimage is being held with the blessing of Metropolitan Jean of Dubna and Bishop Matthew of Sourozh. It is hoped that Bishop Matthew will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the day of the anniversary.
A full pilgrimage programme is being offered (timetable attached). Accommodation and meals are being provided by the Anglican shrine, which offers excellent facilities. The cost of accommodation (sharing in twin room with all meals) is as follows:
Adults:
Full Pilgrimage: £325, otherwise £115 per 24 hours (Single rooms are available for a small supplement)
Children aged 6-17:
Full Pilgrimage (19-22 May): £165, otherwise £60 per 24 hours.
If you wish to join the pilgrimage please register at https://forms.gle/FKNG8zF2MaMsc7dw5
Enquiries: shrine.chapel.80@gmail.com