Page 8 - LOTN Issue 45

DIOCESE
Banffshire Pilgrimage Group prepare for

2021 joint pilgrimage celebration

ince the 12th century, the small market town of
Banff has recognised Our Lady as guiding light and
Spatroness. The ancient and probably pre-Christian
name of the town was Bean-naomh, which became
Banbh, with the introduction of Scottish Gaelic. Both
mean holy woman. The original market cross which
dates from the 12th century, also bears witness to Mary
and the crucifixion of Jesus in stone.
The arrival of mendicant Carmelite friars in 1321
precipitated the dedication to Mary. King Robert the Bruce
gifted land to the monks who settled themselves in Banff
and took care of the welfare and spiritual needs of the
community. They built a small chapel, ran a hospital for
lepers, sang daily vespers in the market square and stayed
for a total of 250 years!
Two important events are to be celebrated together
as a local pilgrimage on Saturday 24th April, 2021 in
Banff. The first, the 700th anniversary of the arrival of the The Carmelite friars arrived in Banff in 1321
Carmelite brethren to the town, on this day in 1321, and
secondly, the belated 150th anniversary of the building of Details of the event may be obtained from the Banffshire
the present-day church in Sandyhill Road in 1870; named Pilgrimage Group, or Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
in honour of the monks whose lands spread out around Facebook pages or you can email us at catholicchurchbanff@
Colleonard and Sandyhill down to Wrack Woods where gmail.com.
they built their monastery near the river Deveron. There Regular updates will appear on the Banffshire Pilgrimage
are no archaeological remains to be found, but in the town Group page from the beginning of March 2021.
their renown can be traced in street names, never to be Please let us know if you would like to help us plan this
forgotten. event (Plans include the production of a souvenir booklet)
These holy men had travelled, as a named Order, and by and we would certainly welcome your prayers for a
the approval of three popes, Honorius III in 1226, Gregory memorable day!
IX in 1229 and Innocent IV in 1247. They made the journey It will be an all-day event beginning at 10am and
from the holy mountain of Mount Carmel, near Haifa in concluding with concelebrated vigil Mass in the church of
northern Israel, across Europe to Scotland. Banff was the Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 6pm.
furthest north they were to travel. Two of the monks are
known to us by name and on the day of our pilgrimage a The Banffshire Pilgrimage Group is a local ecumenical
initiative established in 2014.
plaque will be unveiled in their memory.
Memoir of a PILGRIMAGE FOR EIGHT
Val-des-Choues to Pluscarden Abbey

In the summer of 2017, a group of strangers followed in the footsteps of eight medieval monks,
who in 1230 AD travelled north from their priory in France to found three new monasteries in the far
reaches of Scotland.

PILGRIMAGE FOR EIGHT is a memoir of that modern-day pilgrimage, told through a historian’s eyes.
It’s a tale of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures undertaking a journey that challenged
them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This newly-created traveling ‘family’ experienced the
joys and trials of communal life and formed deep friendships that would last well beyond their 1300-
mile trek.

"Informative, amusing and deeply moving by turns, Phil takes us on his own spiritual journey in the
midst of continual physical and emotional challenges, introducing us to his fellow pilgrims and others
he encounters along the way."
— Abbot Anselm Atkinson, OSB

Available online now: https://www.phillip-adamo.com/pilgrimage-for-eight.html
Proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit Pluscarden Abbey's South Range Appeal
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