London Dominicans celebrate 800th anniversary with historic walk

Processing through Camden. Image Dominicans

History was made on Saturday when around 120 people set out on a wonderful pilgrimage walk from St Dominic's, Haverstock Hill to Blackfriars, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Dominicans in London. More pilgrims joined us on the way - there were more than 200 walkers by the time we reached the Priory Church of St Bartholomew.

We began with Mass celebrated by the Prior, Fr Lawrence Lew OP, offered for Countess Tasker and the other benefactors of the current priory church, which was completed 140 years ago. Following Mass we prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary and sung the Salve Regina before setting off towards busy Camden Market with our special banner.

Fr Lawrence pointed out that we were walking along the route of the now underground River Fleet, which the early Dominicans would have often travelled on. Much of our walk was along the canal path, up to King's Cross.

Our first stop was St Andrew's Holborn Garden, site of the first Dominican priory in London founded in 1223. Here we prayed for the repose of the souls of Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent who founded the priory and was initially buried here, for King Henry III, all the benefactors of the early English Dominicans; and all the Dominicans who lived and ministered here.

Next we paused for a lunch break at The Black Friar Pub built on a corner, probably near the stables of the original five-acre site of the Ludgate Dominican priory, the second Blackfriars in London, built in 1279. This Victorian pub is nicely decorated with pictures and reliefs sculptures of generic monks.

From here we visited the Playhouse Yard, and St Anne Blackfriars Yard, which also stand on the site of the ancient priory. We prayed for the founder, King Edward I, and benefactors Margaret of Kent, and Queen Eleanor of Castile (whose heart was once enshrined in the choir).

Our final stop was the Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great - one of the oldest surviving churches in London. Originally an Augustinian Priory church, established 900 years ago, it was briefly the third Blackfriars of London, during the time of Queen Mary Tudor. During ecumenical Vespers, Fr Richard Finn, OP, Provincial Archivist and author of a new history of the English Dominicans preached.

We then processed to the Lady Altar and then back to the Choir singing the antiphons to Our Lady and to St Dominic. After Vespers, Fr Lawrence Lew celebrated a Low Mass in the Dominican Rite in the Lady Chapel - reputedly the only place in London which Our Lady has visited!

This was the second special event this year celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Dominicans in London. On Friday, 16 June, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, there was a Rosary for the sanctification of priests as part of the 'World Priest' Global Rosary Relay. At the conclusion of a special Mass, Fr Lawrence consecrated the parish to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Dominicans will conclude their 800th anniversary celebrations with a Solemn Mass at 10am with the Dominican Family on Saturday 7 October, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. After Mass there will be a reception in the Priory, and that weekend there will be an exhibition in the church of the historic vestments and banners from the convent of the Dominican Sisters of Stone, Staffordshire.

LINKS

800th Centenary walk booklet: https://rosaryshrine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/800th-walk.pdf.

Fr Richard Finn's Homily: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/47618

History of the English Dominicans by Fr Richard Finn: www.amazon.co.uk/Dominicans-British-Isles-Beyond-Preachers-ebook/dp/B0BMW1GWZH