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Gloucester Cathedral

I returned from the Vipassana retreat to Gloucester at about 9:45am on Sunday morning (the 8th) in time to catch the 10:15 service in Gloucester Cathedral so I could hear the boys singing.


It was a good thing that I saw them in advance. One boy's hair was sticking up all which way, one was swinging the sleeves of his robe, another was chewing on the corner of his choir folder. This convinced me that they are real boys which was a good thing because otherwise I would have thought they were angels. The angels sang Poulenc with the purest, most beautiful sound.

I returned to the cathedral on Monday morning for a tour. I happened to be the only customer for the 10:30 slot and I was so lucky to have had "Jeremy" as my guide. He is an 83 year old historian. He calls himself an amateur medievalist. His family has had architectural connections to the cathedral for over a hundred and fifty years (that he knew of). When we finished the tour, we had a coffee together in the Monk's Kitchen and talked about monks, choirs, and his own fifteenth century house that he and his wife are having trouble selling, as they want to move to a retirement home. I felt very lucky to have this time with him, as he was so knowledgeable. He pointed out interesting things in the windows and in the stone which represented the medieval and gothic styles. The windows are the biggest and grandest in England, some things unique in all of Europe. It was so interesting. The cathedral became a cathedral when Henry VIII shut down monasteries and until that time it was a Benedictine Abbey with about a hundred monks and boys. I'll bet those boys sang like angels too and played soccer in the courtyard!










https://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/music/cathedral-choir/choristers/

https://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/history-heritage/cathedral-history/

Comments

  1. Cathy14 March 2020 at 22:24

    Lynne...from Auschwitz, to the retreat, to here and beyond...what an adventure. The concentration camps gave me chills. I myself, when I was 24, went on a Europe trip with a high school friend, and, my brother, and within that trip, we visited Dachau. It changed me inside forever. So meaningful that you went there...Loved you took in the Meditation. Thank you for taking us on your journey. Check in, if you have a chance! :) Love and Blessings! With you! xocathy :)

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  2. Cathy14 March 2020 at 22:28

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    Replies
    1. The Adventures of Lynne15 March 2020 at 08:06

      I just removed this one because it was put in twice!

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  3. The Adventures of Lynne15 March 2020 at 08:09

    I have noticed that here in England, English is the way we communicate! For many months I have been with people for whom English is their second language. I admire Europeans so much. Usually, not only is English an extra language, but usually at least one other as well (minimum 3). My French is nowhere near their English! I really noticed the use of everyone's "first' language here, because it's so unnoticeable. You know what I mean?

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