St Cuthbert's Day: Pilgrimage in honour of 'saint of the North'
Durham CathedralA pilgrimage has taken place in County Durham in honour of a local saint.
The five-mile walk from Finchale Priory to Durham marks the arrival of the remains of St Cuthbert in AD995 at the site of the cathedral.
It was then the culmination of a long journey which began following a Viking raid on Lindisfarne in AD793.
About 120 people took part earlier, including a delegation of local MPs and tourism bosses from Spain, who have been visiting the region.
St Cuthbert was a monk, bishop and hermit who lived in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria and is often called the patron saint of the North of England.
His saint's day is 20 March with the pilgrimage held on the Saturday closest to it.
At Durham there was a procession, led by a piper and the Cuthbert banner, from the Market Place to the Cathedral where they were greeted with a pilgrim blessing.
Many also had pilgrim passports stamped, as the route is officially recognised as a section of the Camino Ingles (the English Way), one of a network of routes which lead towards the shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain.
The Reverend Canon Charlie Allen said: "It was a joy to gather this afternoon.
"Pilgrims were drawn from the North East and across the globe, and it was a particular privilege to welcome Spanish visitors representing the Camino to Santiago de Compostela."
