THOUSANDS of St Albans pilgrims joined a giant puppet procession to the Abbey last weekend.

The St Albans Festival Pilgrimage, which started at Verulamium Park on Saturday morning and concluded with a Festival Evensong at the Abbey, celebrated the life of St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr.

In light of the St Albans Festival celebrations, a whole range of extra events accompanied this year’s pilgrimage in the Abbey Orchard, including the chance to meet medieval monks, dress up in Roman armour and march with the legions under the watchful eye of Legion XIIII.

Jesters

In Sumpter Yard medieval jesters entertained passers-by with their stilt-walking and fire juggling, and the Vintry Garden played host to a Tudor music workshop where families danced authentic jigs and learnt to play traditional instruments such as the pipe, tabor and crumhorn.

St Albans diocese spokesperson Arun Kataria said that it was a feast for the eyes: “Around 2,000 people made the journey this year and over half of them stayed on for the Cathedral service. Everything was so colourful and, although there was a cold wind in the air, it certainly brought warm hearts along with it!”