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Europe CNY 2012
Day 2 - 20th January - Westminster Cathedral (Part 3)
The lift to the tower was spoilt and had been for 2 weeks. The staff hoped it'd be repaired in a few more days.
There were 307 steps to the top, but I didn't take the route to avoid triggering any complications and getting stuck on the stairwell and worse, ruining the rest of my trip.
Mace of the Guild of the Blessed Sacrament
St John Southworth
This should be the reliquary of St John Southworth
Silver gilt pyxes, silver gilt cloak clasp
Cardinal Wiseman's mitre, maniple, burse and gloves
Monstrance
"Ordination to the priesthood"
What happens if you fall asleep?
"Westminster Cathedral was completed in 1903 but it was not consecrated until seven years later. The delay was because a Catholic church cannot be consecrated until all its debts are cleared"
Frontal for Altar
On the Byzantine style
"Twelve and a half million bricks were used in the building. As the architect had prohibited machine made bricks, every one was hand made"
Damn artists.
The Re-instatement of Catholic Dioceses in England and Wales aka The Return of the Pope
"The Archdiocese without a cathedral"
Relic of Charles Lwanga
Relic of the True Cross surrounded by relics of many saints
A helpful glossary for all the types of Church Treasures. I think this was the first time I'd seen such an aid.
More relics, even of Edward the Confessor
Monstrance
Vestments
Morse
A monstrance for the new Cathedral
"Parts of the Cathedral (including the main ceiling) are unfinished because the intention is that each generation should add mosaics until the work is completed"
Before reading this, I thought it was because they'd run out of money
"Catholic Truth Society Bookshop"
Love the name
Inside, there was a whole rack of amusing pamphlets:
There were pamphlets on Global Warming, the Jehovah's Witnesses and even Hinduism and Islam (with PC blurbs)
To support good comedy, I bought what seemed the most amusing of the lot for £1,95:
"Wicca & Witchcraft: Understanding the dangers, by Elizabeth Dodd. CTS Explanations
Understanding such phenomena and how to evangelise them
To marginalised and spiritually hungry generations the growing spiritual phenomena of Wicca and witchcraft have proved attractive, with much to offer: power, supernatural abilities and socially acceptable agendas such as eco-activism and feminism. This booklet examines their origins, history, beliefs and practices, and then explains Catholic teaching's cogent assessment of them. Further it explores why young people are attracted to Wicca, and describes ways in which it is possible to bring witches and wiccans back to Christ and his Church"
Maybe young people are attracted to Wicca because of stuff like this.