Westminster Cathedral, Westminster, London

Saints from all corners of Britain and all historical periods are well represented in this central pilgrimage destination, which also has its own programme of pilgrim activities

Highlights

• Relics of St Andrew and St ThomasBecket
• Shrine of St John Southworth
• Cathedral artworks

Westminster Cathedral is the mother church for Catholics in England and Wales. Fittingly enough, it lies on the same road as Westminster Abbey, the Church of England’s main ceremonial building, a 10-minute walk along Victoria Road. Despite the similar names, the Catholic building dates from the late 19th century, a purpose-built cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Westminster.

It offers a more contemplative atmosphere than the busy tourist attraction of the abbey. Its side chapels contain three relics that should interest anyone with an inkling of church tradition. Whether by accident or design, the three saints come from the three main epochs of church history.

First, there is St Andrew, the Apostle of Christ who is holy to everyone. Then there is St Thomas Becket, the 12th-century martyr venerated by Anglicans and Catholics but not the Orthodox. And finally, there is St John Southworth, a Roman Catholic martyr killed at Tyburn in 1654. St Andrew’s relic is kept in the Chapel of St Andrew and the Saints of Scotland, behind the small Celtic cross above the altar.

Though not directly visible, this relic is surrounded by artworks of famous Scottish saints and symbols, including sculptures of St Ninian, St Margaret, St Bride, and St Columba. St Bride could just as easily be represented in the neighbouring chapel, dedicated to St Patrick and other Irish saints since she lived and died in Ireland in the 6th century. These two chapels are on the right as you enter, along the south side of the nave, with seats inside and candlestands outside.

St John Southworth is on the opposite side of the nave, his body displayed in a glass coffin. Dressed in a priest’s vestments and with silver plating over his face and hands, this shrine might come as something of a surprise to those unused to high veneration of holy bodies. Yet anyone can learn something from St John Southworth’s life, a priest executed simply for performing his duties.

He is one of the later Reformation martyrs, a man who played no part in the mutual blood-letting of the earlier years. Originally from Lancashire, he was ordained in France and returned to England to work in the Westminster area of London, visiting the sick during a time of plague. He was arrested in 1654 and hanged after pleading guilty to the charge of exercising the Catholic priesthood. His shrine is by the entrance to the Chapel of St George and English Martyrs.

His body was moved here in 1930, having originally been taken to France by the Spanish ambassador to London. He is remembered on 27 June, the day before his execution. A mosaic of St Alban can be seen outside this chapel, the first of England’s many martyrs. A new pilgrim route, The Westminster Way of Two Cathedrals and Four Shrines, begins here.

The cathedral’s formal title is the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood. Its archbishop, currently Vincent Nichols, is the head of the Catholic church in England and Wales. The building was founded in 1895 and completed just eight years later. Its interior of mosaics and other artworks is a work in progress, allowing each generation to add its mark to this huge canvas.

The most impressive work to my mind is the Lady Chapel, in the southeast corner, with its golden mosaic ceiling. Though the lighting is a bit harsh, this could almost be Ravenna with its timeless scenes of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and St Peter surrounded by angels.

There are older artworks here too, including a medieval statue of Our Lady of Westminster, by the pulpit near the entrance to the Lady Chapel. It is an English alabaster carving dating from 1450. It was discovered for sale in Paris in 1954 and brought to the cathedral the following year, a symbolic link with the Catholic church’s role in medieval London. It sits beneath one of the cathedral’s modern sculptures, number 13 of the Stations of the Cross by Eric Gill.

For a final blessing in this welcoming cathedral, a tap next to the baptistery dispenses holy water, presumably sourced from the mains supply and blessed by a priest rather than a secret holy well in the centre of London. Anything seems possible, however, in a building with such a presence.

Directions

Westminster Cathedral, Cathedral Piazza, Victoria Street, London SW1P 1QH

www.westminstercathedral.org.uk

W3W: myself.idea.trim

GPS: 51.4962N 0.1399W

Victoria London Underground station 250m

The cathedral is at the western end of Victoria Street, the end nearest to Victoria Station. It is open every day, with no charge other than donations.