Canterbury Cathedral has been a major pilgrimage destination for many centuries and it was the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 and his subsequent canonisation in 1173 that made Canterbury Cathedral the third most important site of Christian pilgrimage in the world, after Jerusalem and Rome.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=MLkmoHiSIIQ
Why did the pilgrims go to Canterbury Cathedral?
The remains of martyrs like Saint Thomas were supposed to have special healing powers, and so thousands of pilgrims flocked to Canterbury. Holes and prayer niches were often made in the side of the saint’s tomb or shrine so pilgrims could get closer to their remains of the saint.
Why is the Canterbury Cathedral so important?
Canterbury’s role as one of the world’s most important pilgrimage centres in Europe is inextricably linked to the murder of its most famous Archbishop, Thomas Becket, in 1170.
What important event happened in Canterbury?
Canterbury has been a European pilgrimage site of major importance for over 800 years since the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170.
What happened at Canterbury Cathedral?
The assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 changed the course of history. Becket was one of the most powerful figures of his time, serving as royal Chancellor and later as Archbishop of Canterbury.
Why was the pilgrimage important in Canterbury Tales?
The most important aspect of real-life pilgrimage used by Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales is the fact that a wide variety of people, of different classes and different places might be found together on a pilgrimage.
When did the Canterbury pilgrimage start?
Pilgrimage to Canterbury began shortly after the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170.
What miracles happened at Canterbury Cathedral?
There were 703 miracles recorded by William and Benedict which ranged from the cure of leprosy, blindness, paralysis to that of epilepsy.
What made Canterbury famous?
Canterbury Cathedral is the burial place of King Henry IV and of Edward the Black Prince, but is most famous as the scene of the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170. As a result of this event, Canterbury became a major pilgrimage site, inspiring Geoffrey Chaucer to write The Canterbury Tales in 1387.
Can you get married in Canterbury Cathedral?
Weddings at Canterbury Cathedral
Very few people can actually get married in Canterbury Cathedral, with many restrictions owing the super popular demand (as you might imagine!), and indeed photography for couples not getting married directly at the Cathedral in Cathedral grounds is strictly prohibited.
Who was murdered at Canterbury?
Archbishop Thomas Becket
Archbishop Thomas Becket is brutally murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of King Henry II of England, apparently on orders of the king.
What is The Canterbury Tales about short summary?
In The Canterbury Tales, a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral compete in a storytelling contest. This overarching plot, or frame, provides a reason for the pilgrims to tell their stories, which reflect the concerns sparked by the social upheavals of late medieval England.
What is Canterbury Cathedral history?
importance in Canterbury
In 1170 Canterbury Cathedral was the scene of the murder of Thomas Becket, the archbishop. Many pilgrims subsequently visited his shrine, and those of the 14th century were immortalized by Geoffrey Chaucer in his The Canterbury Tales.
What did the Romans do to Canterbury?
The Romans established a military base at Canterbury soon after Claudius’ invasion. They knew the Cantiaci capital as Durovernum Cantiacorum, ‘the walled town of the Cantiaci by the alder marsh’. Around AD 110-120, they built a new civitas, or provincial centre, on top of the remains of the old settlement.
Why is a Canterbury called a Canterbury?
Canterbury as a city has it’s origins in the Roman settlement of Durovernum Cantiacorum, established in the first century AD after the Roman invasion of 43 AD. The name was taken from the Cantiaci tribe that inhabited the area at the time of the Roman invasion. The name of the county of Kent also derives from them.
What was the purpose of the pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage is a journey to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion. A pilgrimage is a journey to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion. A pilgrim is more than a tourist and a pilgrimage is more than a journey. A pilgrim travels with a spiritual purpose, a goal to be closer to God.
What is the importance of a pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage is a sacred journey, undertaken for a spiritual purpose. Pilgrims are different from tourists: they travel for spiritual reasons, not just to relax or for fun. Pilgrimage is a search for meaning, purpose, values or truth (and in this sense, like life).
Why is pilgrimage the most important?
Purposes of pilgrimage
deepen their connection with God. feel connected to the worldwide community of Christians, and to meet Christians from different denominations. learn more about and feel connected to the history of Christianity. see sites where miracles happened and receive special blessings.
Who started the pilgrimage to Canterbury?
Chaucer introduces his pilgrimage by saying that people want to travel in spring on pilgrimages, especially to the shrine of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury – who has helped them when they were sick (I 18).
Why did Christians make a pilgrimage to Canterbury in the 14th century?
Canterbury was a popular destination for English pilgrims, who traveled to witness the miracle-working relics of Thomas Becket, the sainted archbishop of Canterbury who was martyred at the hands of knights of King Henry II in 1170 and canonized shortly thereafter.
How long did the pilgrimage to Canterbury take?
More exactly, the original plan as described by the character Harry Bailey was to have the 30 pilgrims tell 4 tales apiece, for a total of 120 tales, over 2–3 days of travel to Canterbury and 2–3 days of travel back to London.