I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things

Yesterday was the feast day of St Alban, and today the Albantide pilgrimage. St Albans has been a site of pilgrimage since at least the sixth century, but despite having lived here for 13 years, today was the first time that we've joined the pilgrimage. It was led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who celebrated the Solemn Eucharist at lunchtime (which we missed), and then preached at Evensong. It was a humbling occasion. The Abbey was overflowing (literally) with pilgrims from St Albans, Hertfordshire, and far, far, further afield. We arrived fairly late (5 minutes later, and, like friends of ours, we would not have had a seat). This meant that, although we were in a part of the church where the service was relayed to us by video, we were sat behind the shrine - which naturally lead us to consider all those who have worshipped God in this place for the past 15 centuries. And Archbishop Tutu's sermon was wonderful. Of course the numbers this year were swelled by those of us who wanted to hear, and for our children to hear, one of the true prophetic voices of our age. I hope the sermon will be put on the web - it deserves a wide audience. But in a week when the Anglican church (which has always been my spiritual home) seems closer to the brink of schism than ever, his call for tolerance, and his acknowledgment of the power of goodness in the face of evil seemed very timely. And we both recognised that we are in the right place, and that this is home. Whatever may happen in the coming months, this city is our home, and it would be painful to leave it behind.