Shrine sees events from Easter and beyond cancelled
Father Kevin Smith, the priest administrator at The Shrine of Our Lady Walsingham. Picture: Graham Howard - Credit: Archant
The priest of Walsingham shrine said he felt ‘very sad’ as plans for the Easter weekend had to be cancelled, along with more future events.
Father Kevin Smith, the priest administrator at The Shrine Of Our Lady Of Walsingham, should have been preparing for one of the busiest weekends as the shrine joined with the village’s parish church to celebrate Easter.
They were instead preparing an online stream as the shrine is closed due to coronavirus.
Fr Kevin Smith, who has been the head of the shrine since 2016, said: “It is very sad and a completely new experience for us. We have no one here to celebrate with us and we would have liked to keep the shrine open to everyone to visit.”
Works of prayer and worship are being continued by the priests there despite the lock-down, with a live stream every day for all pilgrims.
Plans for the future are still uncertain, with the youth pilgrimage, which sees hundreds of young pilgrims from all over the world visit Walsingham, being cancelled.