GLASTONBURY - Where England became the Dowry of Mary..

The first church ever built in England was in Glastonbury. It seems to have been built about 431 AD but legend has it that Joseph of Arimathea brought the little Jesus here who blessed the Church much earler. "And did those feet in ancient times...." indeed. It is also said that Joseph returned about 61 AD and buried the Holy Grail, the cup used by Jesus at the last supper, in the stream at the foot of the Tor. Glastonbury is indeed the place of legends. In the 12th century it is said that the bodies of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were found and reburied. There is no doubt however that Glastonbury from earliest times was a place of Pilgrimage. St Dunstan from the great monastery that once stood there insisted that his monastery and others throughout England observed strictly the Benedictin Rite St Dunstan made Glastonbury the mother house of all the BEnedictine monasteries in England and places of great learning. But the Monastery burned to the ground in the 12th century but as soon as it was rebuilt it became a place of pilgrimage again. Much of my information I take from the lovely book by Anne Vail `Shrines of Our Lady in England`and her words are so much better than mine.

"AS soon as the new building was complete the pilgrims returned All summer long the lanes of Somerset thronged with crowds, especially on Our Lady`s Birthday, 8th September when festivities were prolonged The gifts that were brought to the shrine on such occasions were recorded.
During the sixth century St David came from Wales and left a great sapphire which was a cause of wonder for a thousand years.In the fourteenth century Queen Philippa, wife of Edward III left a silver rosary with gold paternoster beads for Our Lady, and there were always bunches of wild flowers,gathered from the hedgerows, that were brought by the poorer pilgrimas.

This was the age of `Merrie Engfland`, pilgrimage was part of the English way of life when rich and poor, famous and infamous, journeyed together to visit the shrinse of the Virgin Mary and of the numerous saints whom they considered to be their friends; these were friends whose help and advice they enlisted in the turbulent events of their daily lives." ANNE VAIL



But the evil of Henry VIII fell upon the monastery and although there could be found no corruption it was nevertheless brought to the ground and the Abbot and two of his monks executed for nothing.

A new shrine has arisen in Glastonbury which now attracts pilgrims again. But alas, perhaps because of the legends of the Tor being the burial place for pagans and another story that it was once occupied by fairies, Glastonbury attracts all sorts of people, New Agers, people with spells and portions, etc., But worse of all is the evil that comes with the Glatonbury Rock Festival where drugs and promiscuity flourish leading to pregnancies and abortions. There is indeed a batlle between good and evil raging in Glastonbury. Let us pray to Our Lady of Glastonbury that she will triumph.