Christians make their way to Holy Island
Apr 11 2009 The Journal
CHRISTIANS from far and wide gathered together in crossing the sandy stretch to Lindisfarne Island yesterday.
Bearing crosses as part of their Easter worship, the journey was a part of the Northern Cross pilgrimage, which for more than 30 years has seen Christians celebrate Easter by walking for a week to reach Holy Island.
A site of special Christian significance, it is where the Lindisfarne Gospels were written over a millennia ago and was home to St Cuthbert and St Aidan.
This year, 75 people from four groups came from across northern Britain to meet in Beal at 10.30am before setting off along the causeway at 11.15am. The journey took an hour and a quarter.
Margaret Mason, 55, is the coordinator for the event. She walked 67 miles from Melrose over the course of the week with 12 others to reach the island for Good Friday.
She said: “The experience of carrying the cross there is a very deep one. This period gives us an example of how we should live our lives and over it you get very close to God.
“All types of people come on this pilgrimage. Our youngest walker is nine years old and she is here with her dad. There are also families and teenagers who are the children of original walkers. They come with their friends. The young people are now taking it over and I think its absolutely wonderful.” Alongside her group was one from Lanark. It had walked over 120 miles through the Scottish borders, stopping at parishioners’ houses along the way and staying at churches. The pilgrims are remaining on the island till Sunday and over the weekend will be attending an Easter vigil on Saturday at St Mary’s and a Sunday mass at St Aidan’s.
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