London: Blessing the River Thames

Where: London, on London Bridge
When: Sunday after 6th January (usually!)
Time: 12.30pm

 

Blessing

The parishes of Southwark Cathedral (on the South bank ) and St Magnus the Martyr (on the North bank) meet in the middle of London Bridge, and each January the clergy of both churches process to this point and perform a short religious service during which a wooden cross is cast into the river. The custom has only been established during the twenty-first century but harks back to the ancient ceremony in the Orthodox church of throwing a cross into the waters on the Sunday after Epiphany.

Helpful Hints

In 2024 it was on Sunday January 14th- 2025 date is yet to be confirmed but likely to be 12th.

Click here for the Southwark Cathedral website & Calendar : http://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/

Click here for the St Magnus the Martyr website : http://www.stmagnusmartyr.org.uk/

and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmagnusthemartyr/

View this location on the map.