. Westminster Abbey : its memories and its message . westruck, while the whole intricate ceremonyof consecration was performed and the stranger returned tohim. Then, to a request for food, he confessed that he hadcaught nothing: he had been too amazed and terrified. TheApostle gently revealed himself: I am Peter, Keeper of theKeys of Heaven. When Mellitus arrives to-morrow, tell himwhat you have seen, and show him the token that I, St Peter,have consecrated my church of St Peter, Westminster, andhave anticipated the Bishop of London. For yourself, go outinto the river: you will catch a plentif
. Westminster Abbey : its memories and its message . westruck, while the whole intricate ceremonyof consecration was performed and the stranger returned tohim. Then, to a request for food, he confessed that he hadcaught nothing: he had been too amazed and terrified. TheApostle gently revealed himself: I am Peter, Keeper of theKeys of Heaven. When Mellitus arrives to-morrow, tell himwhat you have seen, and show him the token that I, St Peter,have consecrated my church of St Peter, Westminster, andhave anticipated the Bishop of London. For yourself, go outinto the river: you will catch a plentiful supply of fish, whereofthe greater part shall be salmon. This I have granted on twoconditions: first, that you never fish again on Sundays;secondly, that you pay a tithe of them to the Abbey ofWestminster. Then the Apostle was withdrawn into heaven ;and Edric, proceeding to his fishing, was rewarded with thegreat promised draught. The next day, when Mellitus was preparing the holy oilfor the consecration, Edric came to him carrying a present of8. LIGHT IN THE MIST salmon, and related what he had seen. They entered the churchtogether, and Mellitus saw the indubitable marks of consecra-tion—the symbolic letters upon the pavement, the wallsanointed, and the remains of the candles that the angels hadused. A poet of the thirteenth century, writing the story ofEdward the Confessor for Alianore, riche Reine dEngletere,wove this incident into it. So, to the astonishment of Mellitus : The church he sees sprinkled, And marked with twelve crosses ; Within, without, the walls moistened. Sprinkled with holy water, And the alphabet on the pavement, Written distinctly twice, And the marks of the oil, And chief of the miracles, The remains of the candles. Convinced and rejoicing, the Bishop called in the waitingpeople and celebrated the Mass. From this time forth theplace was called, not Thorny Island, but the West Monastery;and until the end of the fourteenth century the Thames fisher-me
Size: 1284px × 1946px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectwestmin, bookyear1921
