Church of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury |
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| Shrine and Parish Church of Our Lady, Glastonbury | |
The front of the church from Magdalene Street
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 Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
Location in Somerset
Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
Location in England
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| 51°08′42″N 2°43′04″W / 51.1450°N 2.7178°W | |
| Location | Glastonbury, Somerset |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1939 |
| Completed | 1940 |
| Construction cost | £11,000 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Blessed Richard Whiting |
| Metropolis | Archdiocese of Birmingham |
| Diocese | Diocese of Clifton |
| Province | Ecclesiastical province of Birmingham |
The Church of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury is a Roman Catholic church in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. It was finished in 1940. This church is also home to the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury. A shrine is a special place where people go to pray and show respect.
The Church's Story
This church stands on Magdalene Street. It faces the old Abbot's Kitchen across the road. This kitchen is part of Glastonbury Abbey. Before this church, an older Catholic church stood here. It was in a converted stable and was taken down in 1938.
Behind the church, there used to be the St Louis Convent school. This school was open from 1925 until 1984. The new church cost about £11,000 to build. It was made using special Bath and Corsham stone.
At the front of the church, you can see statues carved into the stone. There is a statue of the Madonna and Child. This shows Mary with baby Jesus. On the left is Saint Dunstan. On the right is Richard Whiting. He was the last abbot of Glastonbury Abbey. Father Michael Fitzpatrick helped raise money for the church. He got many donations from local people.
Special Treasures: Relics
The church was officially blessed on July 2, 1941. Bishop Lee of Clifton led the ceremony. After this, special items called relics were placed inside the altar. Relics are small pieces connected to saints. They are kept in special containers called reliquaries.
Here are some of the saints whose relics are in the church:
- Oliver Plunkett – He is the patron saint of peace in Ireland.
- Thomas Becket – He is the patron saint of Roman Catholic priests.
- Pope Innocent I – He was pope for 16 years.
- Benedict of Nursia – He is the patron saint of students.
- Victoria of Albitina – She is a patron saint from Italy.
- Saint Barbara – She is the patron saint of artillerymen.
- Pope Clement I – He is the patron saint of sailors.
Inside the Church
Behind the main altar, there is a beautiful statue. It is of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury. This statue was made in 1955. On each side of the statue, there is a large tapestry. These tapestries were woven by the Edinburgh Tapestry Company.
The tapestries show three people known as the Glastonbury Martyrs. They are Abbot Richard Whiting, his treasurer John Thorne, and their friend Roger James. They lost their lives at Glastonbury Tor. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed many monasteries in England.
The tapestries also show other important saints. These include Saints Dunstan, Patrick, Brigid, Joseph of Arimathea, and David. You can also see the monk Richard Bere. He was put to death because he would not accept the King's power over the Church.
Above the tapestry, there is a colorful stained glass window. It shows the Crucifixion, which is Jesus on the cross. At Jesus's feet is Mary Magdalene. On the left side of the window is the Virgin Mary. On the right is Saint John, who was one of Jesus's closest followers.
