On the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Sunday 2nd February) The pro-Cathedral Church of St Augustine in Kent, will celebrate the installation of Parish’s Relic of the Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a new reliquary.
Bishop Mead commented on the new reliquary “Hand carved in the Ukraine from oak and fashioned as an icon of The Protection of the Theotokos, the Church now has a suitable holder for veneration of the relic. Originally intended to be a wall plaque, Andy Hall our wonder working handyman, has adapted the carving to be a hand held veneration reliquary. Although the previous reliquary was very grand it was impractical to access for veneration.”
The relic was originally presented to the parish on the Feast of the Assumption, 15th August 2009, when Bishop Mead blessed a the display case within which he placed the Relic of the Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This relic had been gifted to the parish and originates from a closed convent in Belgium. It was accompanied by a document of authentication dated 1909.