St Edmund Day Service

The St Edmund Day service is taking place at 6:15pm on Friday 16 November in chapel. Our preacher is Henrike Lähnemann, Professor of Medieval German Literature and Linguistics and a Fellow of St Edmund Hall.

Henrike is particularly interested in the Hall’s medieval history as a centre for Hussite thought. As a member of the chapel choir who took part in the 2018 tour to Pontigny and Paris, she looks forward to continuing to follow in the footsteps of St Edmund, linking the history of the Hall with her interest in medieval and early modern devotion, singing, and book history.

Among our special guests for the service and the Feast which takes place after it is Father Ploux, the Roman Catholic priest in charge of Pontigny Abbey, where St Edmund is entombed above the high altar. He has been exceptionally kind and generous in hosting the choir when we have visited four times in the last six years, and works hard to make our visits as comfortable and happy as possible. He will be giving the blessing.

We also look forward to welcoming Paddy Carpenter, without whose help the choir tours to Pontigny could not have happened. He is a French-speaking Englishman whose daughter, Lucy, was an undergraduate here until last year. He liaises with Father Ploux, does much of the initial catering arrangements and is with us throughout the week of the tour. We are very grateful for his kindness and generosity with his time.

During the service, Henrike will unveil a painting by Father Ploux, which has been bought for the College, as a symbol of the partnership between Pontigny and St Edmund Hall.