7 Years Ago, Cardinal Pell Made History in Canterbury Cathedral

The National Catholic Register ^ | 1/24/23 | Ed Pentin

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On July 7, 2015, Cardinal George Pell became the first Catholic cardinal since the 16th century to offer Mass at the cathedral’s high altar.

CANTERBURY, England — One of Cardinal George Pell’s lesser-known accomplishments — one laden with historical significance that furthered the cause of Christian unity — took place in Canterbury Cathedral seven years ago.

Visiting the English city famous for its Church history, the Australian cardinal celebrated Mass at the cathedral’s high altar on July 7, 2015, becoming the first Catholic cardinal to do so since Cardinal Reginald Pole, the last Catholic archbishop of Canterbury, in the 16th century.

The date of July 7 commemorated the anniversary of the consecration in 1220 of a shrine dedicated to St. Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury who was martyred in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 after a bitter clash with King Henry II over the rights of the Church over the state.

Following his martyrdom and until 1220, St. Thomas’ shrine had been kept in the crypt of the cathedral, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims a year and bringing many reports of miracles attributed to his intercession.

But in 1220, as the numbers of pilgrims continued to grow, the shrine was transferred to a more prominent place: behind the high altar of the cathedral. There it remained — continuing to draw throngs of pilgrims and inspiring Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales — until 1538, when King Henry VIII had it completely destroyed. Today, nothing but a burning candle remains in the place of the shrine.

The Church of England’s former dean of Canterbury Cathedral, the Very Reverend Robert Willis, who retired last May, told the Register that when he took up his position as dean in 2001, he became aware that two significant dates — Becket’s martyrdom on Dec. 29, and.......

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