The May Devotion

Just popping out to the shops this afternoon I was entangled in a little procession. Starting at St Barnabas, our parish church, the procession wound round the local streets to end at Pusey House, a theological college here in Oxford.

The priests wore colourful vestments and there was a statue of Mary lifted onto their shoulders nestling in fresh spring flowers.

This was my favourite photo, though. It captures the mood -- peaceful and joyful.

I wasn't sure what the occasion was, but consulting a combination of google and the parish magazine suggests that this is something called the May Devotion, a festival celebrating spring and the virgin Mary.

Oxford has long been a particular centre for 'high church' anglicanism -- where many of the Catholic and traditional customs have been revived.

St Barnabas is a lovely and famous church. I must blip it sometime.