Pilgrimage to Crowland

Coming up very soon in June is the annual get together in Crowland which in recent years
has seen a dwindling number of attendees from our parish.
Come along for what is always a splendid day out and includes the opportunity to venerate
the relics of Saint Theodore together with a Divine Liturgy and Akathist to Saint Guthlac to
whom the ruined abbey is dedicated (together with Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint
Bartholomew).
Guthlac dwelt as a hermit in Croyland between 699 and 714 and following in his footsteps a
monastic community was established here in the 8th century.
During the third quarter of the 10th
century, Crowland came into the
possession of the nobleman
Turketul, a relative of Osketel,
Archbishop of York
Turketul, a cleric, became abbot
there and endowed the abbey with
many estates. It is thought that,
about this time, Crowland adopted
the Benedictine rule.
In 1537, the abbot of Croyland
wrote to Thomas Cromwell, sending
him a gift of fish: "ryght mekely
besechyng yow lordship favorablye
to accepte the same fyshe, and to
be gud and favorable lorde unto me
and my pore house". Despite these
representations, the abbey was
dissolved in 1539. The monastic
buildings, including the chancel,
transepts and crossing of the
church appear to have been
demolished fairly promptly but the
nave and aisles had been used as
the parish church and continued in that role.

Troparion from Bridegroom Matins
Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight,
and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching;
and again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless.
Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep,
lest thou be given up to death and lest thou be shut out of the Kingdom.
But rouse thyself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O our God!
Through the Theotokos have mercy on us!