Northern Cross (pilgrimage)
Encyclopedia
Northern Cross is an annual, ecumenical, Christian
cross-carrying, walking pilgrimage to Lindisfarne
(Holy Island) that takes place at Easter
. The pilgrimage
was founded in 1976 by walkers from Student Cross
seeking a new destination, who led a group of pilgrims on a walk from Penrith
(near Carlisle) to Lindisfarne, taking it in turns to carry the Cross. The pilgrimage has grown over the years and currently consists of five different 'legs' that start from different areas of the Scotland-England border
region leading up to the celebration of the Easter Triduum
. The Pilgirmage has been officially ecumenical since its start and welcomes all faiths and those of none, although it has a strong Christian
flavour.
The act of the pilgrimage is considered a unique witness to the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, as carrying a cross is a very symbolic act, which relives the road to Calvary, and reminds of the importance of Christ, and specifically Easter, both to the pilgrims taking part and those who watch it pass. Pilgrims are hosted along their way by the communities they pass through (Anglican, Catholic, Church of Scotland, Methodist and Baptist) and the walkers join in worship with them along the way. The pilgrimage is open to people of all ages, and all shades of Christianity.
For many, Northern Cross is said to give a chance to get away from the world, a retreat, to top-up their faith, and to share in a small Christian community for the week.
It has been featured in mainstream media on many occasions, notably on BBC Songs of Praise, and various journals and daily newspapers.
All the legs walk for seven days, over a distance of approximately 70 to 120 miles. They meet at the tidal causeway on the morning of Good Friday
and celebrate the Easter liturgy together on Lindisfarne
over the Easter
weekend.
The five legs are known as:
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
cross-carrying, walking pilgrimage to Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
(Holy Island) that takes place at Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
. The pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
was founded in 1976 by walkers from Student Cross
Student Cross
Student Cross is the annual, Ecumenical, cross-carrying, walking pilgrimage to Walsingham that takes place at Easter. The pilgrimage was founded in 1948 by a University of London student, Wilfred Mauncote-Carter, who led a group of students including many ex-servicemen, on a walk from London to...
seeking a new destination, who led a group of pilgrims on a walk from Penrith
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
(near Carlisle) to Lindisfarne, taking it in turns to carry the Cross. The pilgrimage has grown over the years and currently consists of five different 'legs' that start from different areas of the Scotland-England border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
region leading up to the celebration of the Easter Triduum
Easter Triduum
Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is the period of three days that begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday...
. The Pilgirmage has been officially ecumenical since its start and welcomes all faiths and those of none, although it has a strong Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
flavour.
The act of the pilgrimage is considered a unique witness to the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, as carrying a cross is a very symbolic act, which relives the road to Calvary, and reminds of the importance of Christ, and specifically Easter, both to the pilgrims taking part and those who watch it pass. Pilgrims are hosted along their way by the communities they pass through (Anglican, Catholic, Church of Scotland, Methodist and Baptist) and the walkers join in worship with them along the way. The pilgrimage is open to people of all ages, and all shades of Christianity.
For many, Northern Cross is said to give a chance to get away from the world, a retreat, to top-up their faith, and to share in a small Christian community for the week.
It has been featured in mainstream media on many occasions, notably on BBC Songs of Praise, and various journals and daily newspapers.
All the legs walk for seven days, over a distance of approximately 70 to 120 miles. They meet at the tidal causeway on the morning of Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
and celebrate the Easter liturgy together on Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
over the Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
weekend.
The five legs are known as:
- St Cuthbert's (starts walking from Melrose)
- Northumbrian (starts walking from the village of Bellingham near Hexham)
- Lanark (starts walking from Lanark)
- Haddington (starts walking from Haddington, south of Edinburgh)
- Carlisle (starts walking from Carlisle)
External links
- Northern Cross official website
- Northern Cross Facebook fan page
- Northern Cross Flickr site
- YouTube - short film made on NorthernCross 2006, but representative of any year
- Student Cross, a similar Easter pilgrimage, which walks during Holy Week to WalsinghamWalsinghamWalsingham is a village in the English county of Norfolk. The village is famed for its religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary and as a major pilgrimage centre...
in Norfolk; initially set up in 1948, it was veteran walkers from this who founded Northern Cross. - Scottish Cross, another natural development from Student and Northern Cross with cross carrying pilgrims walking to Iona on two routes - Fort William and Loch Lomond Legs - during Holy Week.