I spent a very pleasant afternoon with a friend, and finished it off by going to Evensong with her at St Mary's. There were only five of us - and three dogs!
Father Richard has plans for the arched roof over the high altar - he's getting the ancient varnish stripped off the wood and then it's going to be painted, with gold stars. He's thinking of getting people to buy a star in memory of a loved one, and then there'll be a star map showing which star belongs to which person or family.
It's going to look lovely - but the church decor is already confusing visitors. Mr Babb, who read the lesson this evening, said that an American girl from Missouri had come to Evensong the previous day - and had made the comment that she belonged to a Protestant church, not a Catholic one. She was reassured that this was a Church in Wales (and thus Protestant) church, but it must have been a bit of a culture shock for an American Evangelical!
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Felt the same confusion myself the first few times at St Mary's, especially when the statue of Mary and Babe (PAINTED!)with candles burning at the foot caught my eye.
I actually checked the front page of the hymn book just to make sure the church was Anglican.
And then the incense! I love it though and accept it just the way it is, beautiful.
Jill, St.Mary's church is High Anglican, hence the incense. The statue of Mary and the baby Jesus painted is not unusual. Many artifacts such as this are painted. More an effigy than a statue.
Jill, St. Mary's, Hay is High Anglican – hence the 'bells and smells'. Glad you liked your visit.
Sorry, was I a bit slow in checking the comments? (Must try harder!)
Thanks, A.D., I do enjoy my visits to St Mary's--it's been too long now, this October is on the calendar *fingers crossed*
It was explained to me by an Englishman that the Anglican church is much more "catholic" than the Lutheran in it's images and traditions, that it was never really a part of the Lutheran Protestant Reformation.
That's what you get when a church is founded in order to approve a king's divorce!
Over the Tudor period, the Protestant/Catholic pendulum swung pretty wildly, until it all calmed down under Elizabeth. And then it all flared up again in the Civil War....
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