Fuel price hike cancels pilgrimage

Anglicans had been due to follow in the footsteps of Joseph of Arimathea and a young Jesus Christ to Somerset town Church leaders have cancelled a historic pilgrimage to Glastonbury, blaming rising petrol prices and the age of austerity. About a thousand Anglicans head to the Somerset town every year, following in the footsteps of Joseph of Arimathea who, according to legend, brought his great-nephew, a young Jesus Christ, to the site. But an increase in fuel costs has persuaded the Glastonbury Pilgrimage Association to cancel this year’s event. The association said it needed to consider the “viability” of the 2011 pilgrimage in light of its financial position and other factors affecting the number of pilgrims likely to attend. In a letter, its chair, the bishop of Plymouth, the Right Rev John Ford, said: “We were conscious of the Walsingham festival in Exeter Cathedral in May and of the further rise in fuel costs, which makes a day out for families yet more expensive. “The council decided, therefore, to cancel the pilgrimage for this year, and to consider our future plans at the annual general meeting. “It is the council’s hope that all regular pilgrims to Glastonbury will make an effort to be present in Exeter. I urge you to keep that day in your prayers and to pray, too, for the future of the Glastonbury Pilgrimage Association.” On the association’s website, the bishop said it would be “wonderful” if the pilgrimage could attract as many people as the music festival bearing the same name. Religion Glastonbury festival Festivals Anglicanism Christianity Riazat Butt guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 14, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.