Pope's Rep Makes History in Anglican Canterbury Cathedral

If the stones of Canterbury could talk, I wonder what they would say about a liturgy obviously modelled on the one celebrated since the Deformation on its altars.

From Aleteia

By Cerith Gardiner

Catholics celebrate historic Mass in Canterbury Cathedral as Papal Nuncio leads liturgy for St. Thomas Becket in the oldest Cathedral of the English-speaking world.

On the evening of Monday, July 7, 2025, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía -- the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain -- made history by celebrating Holy Mass at Canterbury Cathedral.

The liturgy coincided with the Feast of the Translation of St. Thomas Becket, recalling how in 1220 a young King Henry III and the medieval church transferred Becket’s relics from the crypt to a grand shrine behind the high altar. (The British Museum gives fascinating insight as to the importance of the translation of the martyr's bones here.)

Now, centuries later, the cathedral was filled once more as hundreds of Catholic pilgrims and clergy -- and even the Vatican’s touring cricket team! -- filled the ancient cathedral for the occasion, as reported by Catholic Herald.

In fact, according to the organizers, around 800 worshippers attended, making it “the best-attended Mass in Canterbury Cathedral since the Reformation,” as shared by National Catholic Register.

This Mass was unprecedented. Although local priests have celebrated Becket’s feast here every July 7 (with the Dean and Chapter’s permission) since the Reformation, it was the first time since the Reformation that a papal nuncio himself presided over the Eucharist in Canterbury.

Archbishop Maury Buendía carried greetings from Pope Leo XIV, delivered the homily (full text here), and solemnly led the veneration of St. Thomas’s relics (including the saint’s own vestments and finger bone, brought from the nearby Catholic parish).

The music was supplied by the professional London choir Tenebrae, under Nigel Short. At the end of Mass the Papal Nuncio used Becket’s relics to bless the congregation, a moving gesture of blessing and unity.

Veteran Catholic commentator Gavin Ashenden – who grew up as a cathedral chorister in Canterbury -- reflected on the moment. He noted that while cardinals and bishops have worshiped here before, the nuncio’s presence “brings a special political recognition of the Catholic Church in Great Britain.”

Canterbury Cathedral: Fascinating facts

Canterbury Cathedral’s stones have many tales to tell. Founded by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597, it is one of England’s oldest church buildings. Over the centuries the Norman and medieval cathedral was rebuilt and enlarged (notably after a fire in 1174) to accommodate the faithful who flocked here to venerate St. Thomas Becket.

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the mother church of the Anglican Communion, formally titled the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury. Its arched Gothic vaults and towering “Bell Harry” tower dominate the skyline: the central crossing tower (finished in 1498) stands roughly 250 feet (75 meters) tall.

Below you'll find some of the cathedral’s most treasured features:

St. Thomas Becket’s shrine: In medieval times Canterbury was a top pilgrimage destination. The 12th-century shrine of St. Thomas (gruesomely martyred here in 1170) drew throngs of pilgrims, famously recounted in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. (Those pilgrim gifts helped pay for much of the church’s rebuilding.)

Royal tombs: Beneath its glittering ceilings lie the tombs of nobility: the 14th-century Trinity Chapel (where Becket’s shrine once stood) houses the alabaster tombs of Edward “the Black Prince” (d.1376) and King Henry IV (d.1413).

Chapter House: The cathedral’s chapter house -- a polygonal meeting-room for the medieval clergy -- is famed as the largest of its kind in England. Stained-glass panels here depict Canterbury’s history.

Canterbury Cathedral, together with St. Augustine’s Abbey and St. Martin’s Church, is indeed a cathedral of world significance. Its ancient aisles saw everything from royal penance to Reformation upheaval. The July 2025 Mass -- a joint act of worship by Catholic and Anglican Christians -- adds a new chapter to that story, a sign of hope and unity echoing across its hallowed stones.

Pictured: His Grace Miguel Maury Buendía, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Titular Archbishop of Italica