Today marks our first rest day on the trail. We are staying in the town of Guildford to explore and recuperate -- thank goodness!
We began the day with morning Mass at St. Joseph's Church. After Mass, we received our fifth pilgrim blessing (!), and snapped a photo with Deacon Michael, Father Roy, and Father Tristan from St. Joseph. Lisa, Leslie, and Harry have long attended mass via livestream at St. Joseph's, and they were very moved by being there in person today.
In the church, there was a votive candle memorial set up to Queen Elizabeth -- may she rest in peace. In general, following the news of Elizabeth's death, we noticed a somber atmosphere marked by appreciation for her long service to the country and efforts to maintain unity. Many flags are flying at half-mast and nearly every church is open for commemorative services, while many governmental buildings are closed. In the public, we sense a subtle anxiety at the double royal and ministerial changes (new King and new Prime Minister) that came in quick succession.
After church, our crew split up. Frans attended to his sore muscles, settling in for a one-hour deep interstitial massage at a local day spa. Much needed! He then posted some letters at the local post office and spent the remainder of the afternoon in prayer at Holy Trinity Church on Guildford's High Street. Holy Trinity displayed a radically Christian warning sign outside:
(1) Left: Brick exterior of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford. (2) Right: Chancel in the church.
Artwork in Holy Trinity. (1) Left: Image of Melchizedek's meeting with Abraham. (2) Right: Stained glass depiction of St. Oswald, a seventh-century Northumbrian king and saint.
Holy Trinity has a lovely ring of bells, which they used today at a commemoration for Queen Elizabeth II. The bells tolled 96 times to celebrate the 96 years of Elizabeth's life. Some of the sentiment surrounding Elizabeth's death can be understood by reading the message below released to the Holy Trinity parish community.
Across from Holy Trinity was Abbot's Hospital, a Jacobean-style almshouse founded in 1619 by George Abbot, then the Archbishop of Canterbury, who gifted it out of love to the city of Guildford, his birthplace. Similar to the "hospital" we visited in Winchester, the Abbot's Hospital was founded as a place of shelter for the elderly poor of Guildford. It still offers flat-style communal accommodations for local elderly single people and couples, who live under the care of a resident Master.
From left: (1) Exterior of Abbot's Hospital. (2) Inside the courtyard of the hospital.
Lisa, Leslie and Harry decided to visit Guildford Castle, whose square Keep (watchtower) was constructed in the 12th century, perhaps by King Henry II or King Stephen. Like the churches we've seen, this castle was predated by an earlier eleventh century royal structure. It continued to evolve under the reign of King Henry III, who in the mid-13th century greatly extended the castle grounds and renovated it into a luxurious palace.
Views of the impressive Keep.
In the Tudor period, the castle ceased to be a royal residence, and in the 19th century, it became a public structure. The former moat of the castle is now home to a popular, whimsical garden. Several memorials dot the garden, including one to the fallen of the first and second World Wars, and one to Lewis Carroll, who lived nearby the castle towards the end of his life.
Lisa and Leslie on the castle complex, above the gardens. The sky is so dramatic!
Walkway through the colorful garden.
Walking the streets of Guildford was quite fun! Scroll through the slideshow below to view some city scenes from the day. We especially love the architecture of the town, which always draws our eyes upward.
At the end of the day, we cooked dinner at our AirBnb and prayed Compline while cleaning up. We discussed the next day's plan and made breakfast in advance to expedite our departure.
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