Hundreds join in historic Boxing Day Pilgrimage

Nearly nine hundred walkers joined the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds for the traditional Boxing Day Pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. Eight hundred and sixty eight pilgrims led by the Rt. Revd John Packer streamed through the Lakeside entrance to the Fountains Abbey estate at the halfway point of the four mile walk which follows in the footsteps of a group of 12th century Cistercian monks who set off from Ripon Cathedral on December 26th, 1132, to found Fountains Abbey. 

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd Keith Jukes, is pictured wearing a high visibility jacket in order to join other Cathedral volunteers in helping to marshal the walk. The Cathedral was informed that police no longer had the resources to ensure the safety of the pilgrimage, but Dean Jukes said people were determined the historic walk should still go ahead. “This year, as last, we have had to pay for roads to be closed and we relied on volunteers to help ensure the safety of the walk, but we were determined that the Pilgrimage should go ahead as normal.”

Before the pilgrims set off, a service of Holy Communion took place led by Bishop John Packer. At exactly 10.15am the walk set off from the Cathedral’s West Front, following the route taken by the thirteen Cistercian monks - going through the Studley Royal estate and Deer Park and the Studley Lakeside entrance of Fountains Abbey, where the numbers were swelled by less mobile pilgrims. The walk concluded with a short service of carols and prayers in the ruins of Fountains Abbey led by Bishop Packer.