Sunday 28 June 2009

St Peter, Prince of the Apostles

Happy Feast Day! Today, for the 150th time, the Cathedral Church of St Peter in Lancaster keeps its patronal feast. To celebrate, the blog gives a few pictures of St Peter's statue by the Cathedral entrance. For the Flower Festival it has been decorated by Diane and Cathie Faunch.

Our patron is also wearing a gold cope today; the custom of dressing St Peter's statue on his feast is observed in many places, including at the Vatican and at Westminster Cathedral (a picture can be seen here; we haven't yet got the papal tiara, but next year...) This display, like many, has been sponsored; the inscription given is an appropriate one: "We pray for an increase in the number of vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life."

St Peter shares his feast with another great Apostle, St Paul; it is worth noting that the year of St Paul ends today. Bishop Campbell will celebrate the Cathedral's main Sunday Mass at 10:30am as we mark our patronal feast in this anniversary year. If you're not a parishioner but are local enough, you might like to join us for sung Vespers this afternoon at 4:40pm.