Next Tuesday, 12th May, is the Feast of S Pancras who was martyred in Rome around 304. His cult probably came to England via S Augustine of Canterbury in 597; Augustine having been sent here by Pope S Gregory the Great. We know that Augustine dedicated a chapel at his monastery in Canterbury to S Pancras, no doubt because the monastery Augustine had been prior of in Rome, prior to his mission to the Angles, had been very close to S Pancras's tomb.
Although the current building has only existed in its present form since the 19th century there has been a pace of worship on the site since 314 AD. In the custody of the current Anglican parish is a sixth century altar stone, reputedly the original property of Augustine and there are signs of the original church in the stonework. The question remains as to whether its dedication to S Pancras pre-dates the arrival of Augustine.
Our Society has S Pancras as one of its Martyr patrons precisely because through this history he bridged Rome and England. We are fortunate to have a small fragment of relic, kindly sent to us by a priest in Rome, just as Pope Vitalian sent relics of Pancras to the King of Northumbria in the 7th century.
Largely because of this connection some members of the Society made a pilgrimage today to Old S Pancras Church in London. Having first attended the Solemn Mass at the London Oratory, sung by the Provost, the Very Revd Ignatius Harrison, we made our way to the church, situated behind St Pancras International Station.
Although the current building has only existed in its present form since the 19th century there has been a pace of worship on the site since 314 AD. In the custody of the current Anglican parish is a sixth century altar stone, reputedly the original property of Augustine and there are signs of the original church in the stonework. The question remains as to whether its dedication to S Pancras pre-dates the arrival of Augustine.S Pancras, pray for us!
That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ!
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