The Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, took place at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday. Historically known as an Enthronement, the Installation marks the symbolic start of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s public ministry in the Church of England and across the Anglican Communion.
As part of her spiritual preparation for the role, the Archbishop set out on a six-day, 87-mile pilgrimage from London to Canterbury along the Becket Camino, tracing the path believed to have been taken by Thomas Becket in the 12th century.
A pilgrimage is never just about the arrival – it is also about what is formed along the way. It conveys a leaving behind of certainty, an openness to encounter and a willingness to be changed. For centuries pilgrims have walked that road, some seeking healing, others forgiveness, and others to gain a deeper awareness of God’s will for them.
Being a pilgrim is more than just taking a journey: it is a picture of the Christian life (1 Peter 2:11 NKJV). As pilgrims, we know that this world is not our home (Hebrews13:14), we learn to trust God daily, we let go of what weighs us down, and we enjoy God’s presence as he walks with us.
God’s greatest work is often done in the quiet, faithful steps of our Christian walk as we allow him to shape us day by day, so that we are formed into the people he calls us to be.
In Christian love,
Barry Robinson
About the Writer:
Barry Robinson is the Deputy National Ministry Leader for GCI in the UK and Ireland.