Mary in Monmouth: THE BENEDICTINE PRIORY AT CHEPSTOW 2-A Lookalike!

PODCAST IMMINENT OF THE VISIT OF THE RELICS TO CARDIFF

I took recordings of the various Masses and liturgies in the Church as the relics were being received in Cardiff on Tueday and have only lightly edited them. I was doubly glad so many people, who were not able to get in and hear the service of reception and so forth will have the possibility of listening to the Masses for Priests and Vocations, Evangelisation, and personal sanctity, Angelus, Rosary , Litany and Benediction. It was extremely crowded, but I think it captures all the excitement of that day when thousands descended on Cardiff, clapped the little saint for her Christian witness and brought her candles, red roses and many other flowers, incense and beautiful music at the evening Mass.People streamed in until the Cathedral closed at Midnight, and devotions continued all evening, with people praying for conversion of sinners, confessions, praying for priests and praying that all would accept Jesus as their personal friend and Saviour. A Mediaeval style day none will forget. And Bravo to the superb organist!

DO YOU KNOW WHY BISHOPS WEAR POINTY HATS CALLED MITRES?

Truth about Relics

Relics have often been a stumbling block for people trying to understand the church. It is no different than keeping a special photo, item or clothing etc from a loved one when they have passed on. Kissing a picture or reverencing it, lighting a candle next to it or putting a poppy by it on remembrance day, just brings them alive again to you, shows them honour and respect. In the case of relics, if you can ask a living person to pray for you, then we can ask the souls who have made it to heaven to pray for us too, Having a small item which has actually touched their body or even a part of that body brings them especially close to them. The Holy Spirit has completely infused their body, So you ask this person to add their prayers to yours up above, and sometimes there are miracles as a result, although it is the prayer to Almighty God that works the miracle if there is to be one and it is his Will.

Hello! The first ten pictures

Thursday, January 15, 2009

THE BENEDICTINE PRIORY AT CHEPSTOW 2-A Lookalike!

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Today we will look at this priory Church,of St Mary de Crypt built by the Augustinians of Llanthony Secunda Abbey as their base in the city of Gloucester. They built up the priory church by extending the Norman Church of the Blessed Mary. These monks were from the second Abbey built near Gloucester Dock, who themselves had moved, following waves of attacks by Welsh rebels!I will blog about Llanthony Abbey separately, as it, too is part of the Norman Story.Whilst a great deal of the Norman remains in Chepstow Priory remain, interesting here is the priory building attached to the Priory Church. This church is later than Chepstow, and the interior style Early English rather than Norman. The tower is centrally placed , as Chepstow's originally was.Also, on the photo above, you can clearly see the priory accommodation in the fourteenth century building with the special window crest. I believe the Chepstow building to have been similar and perhaps L shaped.

The interior of the Church is more Gothic than the Chepstow building. The Chapel in the transept remains. Formerly dedicated to Our Lady, it would have had a statue, flowers and candles, and open for everyday devotions. The Central aisle leads all the way up to the altar and what would have been the sanctuary. There in the Chancel on the right hand side is the sedillia or sacred priest's seats and the piscina, where the chalice was washed.

The Left hand aisle, which probably contained the Easter Sepulchre, where the consecrated host was held from Holy Thursday until the Easter Vigil. The Church is lighter and slightly smaller than Chepstow, but the St Mary de Crypt, fairly typical of the Priory building of the time (very similar to the restored Monmouth Priory)could have looked quite similar to this.The Chepstow building branching down from the South transept to the road which goes over te old bridge, the Priory accommodation spreading up along the contours of the road.

The centre had a courtyard, containing a well. The Priory also had a brewery, orchards to the north and contained a room for the priest. It must have been an equally large affair as St Mary de Crypt in Gloucester. This area of Gloucester also contains the remains of Greyfriars and the whole building of Blackfriars, the Dominicans early building, which is in fine order.

The fifteenth century nave contains an early renaissance style pulpit.When the Anglicans took it, it became the Crypt Grammar School and later Robert Raikes founded the 'Sunday School Movement' which spread all over the country. Unfortunately the administrators of St Mary's took the statue of Our Lady out and put a picture of Robert Raikes in there and this has now been called the 'Robert Raikes Chapel'. Many details are still extant from the old priory such as the steps leading to the dormitories. In all this is a fascinating church and even the head of one of the abbots of Llantony lies high near a pillar on the left hand side of the nave. Amazingly the pulpitum of the Lady Chapel has been restored and is pristine.The Easter Sepulchre area now contains a large organ, and the bells are rung regularly. The Priory interior is in a poor state of repair and closed to the pulic at present. When you look at this Priory Church, however, think of Chepstow.