The Long Road Out

Another Sacred Shrine

Published Wednesday, May 03, 2006 by Jane | E-mail this post

During the Easter bankholiday we went to Abbotsbury, West Dorset.
It has a lovely shingle beach and on a hill high above the village is St. Catherines Chapel.
It was built, like many other Christian churches, on top of the original Pagan Temple.
The early Christian missionaries would naturally try to choose a patron saint that continued, as closely as possible, the pagan dedication of the temple.
The closest Goddess to St. Catherine would have been 'goddess of the silver wheel', Arianrhod.

There is nothing inside, no pews, alter etc. just a dirt floor but it has a very distinct atmosphere.
They still hold services there but I guess the people just stand on the dirt floor.
Here are a few pics I took with my cell phone, so not brilliant.
Several people had left little offerings, flowers, poems and lit candles in the niches in the wall.
Below someone had left a little Icon of St. Catherine.