The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham Usher, will be embarking on a pilgrimage visit to west Norfolk on June 20, following in the footsteps of St Felix, a saint who brought Christianity to the county almost 1,400 years ago. Legend has it that St Felix ordained a beaver as a bishop after being guided to safety by the animal in the village of Babingley. St Felix established Norfolk’s first Christian church around 630AD and became the first bishop of the kingdom of East Anglia. The pilgrimage will focus on St Felix’s mission to the Kingdom of the East Angles, with modern-day pilgrims walking between Castle Rising and Sandringham, and then on to Shernborne, where the saint founded his second Norfolk church.
Plans are underway to create a permanent pilgrimage route, the St Felix Way, from Castle Rising to Walsingham, including the churches Felix founded at Bablingley and Shernborne. Revd Mark Capron, rector of Dersingham, stated that this route will re-awaken the tradition of pilgrimage and honor St Felix for bringing Christianity to East Anglia. Felix was invited by the King of the East Angles to spread the Gospel and became the first bishop of the kingdom. The Bishop of Norwich retracing St Felix’s steps is seen as a fitting tribute to the missionary saint who spread the Good News of the Gospel throughout the region.
The pilgrimage walk on June 20 will begin at Castle Rising church at 10am and end at Sandringham war memorial around 11.30am, with a second walk starting from the war memorial at 1pm and ending at Shernborne church for a short service at 2.30pm. Bishop Graham will then travel to Ingoldisthorpe to meet with pupils at the primary school and visit the bee hives in the village churchyard. The day will conclude with Songs of Praise and an informal Q&A with the bishop in Snettisham churchyard at 7pm. The pilgrimage prayer of St Felix will be recited throughout the journey as a way to seek God’s guidance and blessing on the pilgrimage.
The historical significance of St Felix’s mission to East Anglia is highlighted through the pilgrimage visit of Bishop Graham, who will retrace the saint’s steps and celebrate his contribution to establishing Christianity in the region. The creation of the St Felix Way pilgrimage route aims to honor the legacy of this missionary saint and provide pilgrims with the opportunity to connect with the history and spirituality of the area. The pilgrimage visit will bring together members of the community to walk, pray, and reflect on the impact of St Felix’s teachings and the importance of spreading the Good News of the Christian faith.
