05 May 2011

Holy hole


Within the Cathedral is a small hole in the retrochoir leading into a tiny passage to nowhere. Its purpose is something of a mystery, however, it is believed to have been a recess through which pilgrims to St. Swithun's Shrine could crawl in order to get as close as possible to the great saint whose shrine for most of its lifetime was set above.

10 comments:

  1. What a story, this holy hole!

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  2. Maybe it is for the clergy, when they need a break.

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  3. Interesting architectural detail.

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  4. All the times I saw that, I never did get around to asking what it was for! Thank you for solving the mystery.

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  5. Don't you feel inclined to crawl through? I would..or probably I'd send my daughter!

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  6. This is like one chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
    The altar of the Greek Orthodox Chapel of the Raising of the Cross stands over a glassed-in part of the Rock of Calvary. The disc under the altar has a small hole through which pilgrims can touch the rock which held the cross.

    You can see one such pilgrim on his hands and knees here:
    http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2008/03/touching-history.html

    I have never had the courage to stick my arm down the hole.

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  7. Yes, I have felt let having a peak inside! Just had a look at your post DIna, very interesting.

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  8. Take your camera if there is room! hehe

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  9. Yes, I think you should go in there on behalf of us all!

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