You might be suprised to learn that there are still monks living in England today. You will just not find any at Abingdon Abbey which was demolished following Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.
A 21st Century monk will be visiting Abingdon and giving a talk at 7:30pm on Friday at St Nicolas Church as part of our medieval-themed Heritage Weekend. He will talk about how the Benedictine monks of Abingdon Abbey would have lived and how their successors live today.
Saint Benedict wrote that a monk should prefer nothing to the work of God. The monastic day is therefore built around set times of prayer. The day begins with the rising bell when the monks gather in the church for the first prayers of the day, Matins. This is followed by a period of quiet prayer before Lauds (Morning Prayer). and then breakfast. Mass is celebrated before a morning of work followed by Midday Prayer and then lunch. More work in the afternoon is followed by the celebration of Vespers. There follows a time for spiritual reading then supper. Compline, or Night Prayer is followed by silence and sleep.
Another bit of Heritage Weekend news – the Town Council have agreed to open the Information Centre on Sunday which will be great as in previous years, HOD Sunday visitors have had difficulty finding where they can go.
Also the Roysse Room will be open for visitors.
Benedictine monks are at Douai Abbey (near Woolhampton), where I am a lay member of the community.
Anyone know where the archery and knights tournament are taking place? The Heritage day leaflet doesn’t give info about where any of the medieval activities are taking place. Am assuming most will be on the market place, but wouldn’t have thought those 2 would be.
Haster the only problem is in my experience most people don’t know where to find the information centre.
Archery and Henry V at the Abbey Buldings, “Foot-Knights” at the Old Gaol – in the riverside garden. All the rest in/around the Market Place.
There will be a stall on the Market Place on the day with all the info, times etc – not sure if it will be online before, but keep an eye on http://www.abingdonheritage.co.uk