Lift Up Your Eyes

Where are you headed — and why? In this episode of the Parish of Great Yarmouth podcast, Fr Simon is joined by Revd Liz, Revd Richard and Revd Jassica to explore the ancient practice of pilgrimage — what it is, why it nearly disappeared, and why it's experiencing a remarkable revival today. Together they reflect on Psalm 121 and what it means to journey towards something sacred — whether that's hundreds of miles across Portugal and Spain, a weekend away at the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, or simply stepping into a church you've never visited before. Fr Simon shares stories from his Camino walk along the Portuguese route to Santiago de Compostela. Revd Liz tells the story of the Saint Olav pilgrimage route she's been helping to establish — linking Great Yarmouth Minster to Saint Olav's Priory, and all the way to Trondheim in Norway. And the team reflects on what it means to find a "thin place" — somewhere the gap between heaven and earth feels just a little closer. The Parish of Great Yarmouth is a Church of England parish in the Diocese of Norwich, made up of three churches: Great Yarmouth Minster, St Paul's and St Mary's. Whether you're an Anglican worshipper, exploring faith for the first time, or simply curious about the life of a parish, you're welcome here. Plus, what's coming up in the parish: • Echos of the Minster — free lunchtime recitals every Wednesday through June, July, August and September, 12:30pm at Great Yarmouth Minster • The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace — Karl Jenkins's choral masterpiece performed by the Pakefield Singers and the Orchestra of the Academy of St Nicholas, Saturday 11th July at 7pm Chapters: (00:17) Welcome & introductions (01:38) Scripture: Psalm 121 (02:47) What is pilgrimage? (04:07) The Saint Olav Way: Great Yarmouth to Saint Olav's Priory (06:18) Ancient paths beneath our feet (07:55) Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages (09:01) The Reformation and the loss of the pilgrim routes (09:30) The modern revival: the Camino de Santiago (11:31) Fr Simon's Camino walk (14:37) The parish trip to Walsingham (15:52) The history of Walsingham (17:51) What you'll find at Walsingham today (19:44) New pilgrim routes in Norfolk (22:44) Pilgrimage for everyone: finding your thin place (24:15) Parish notices: Echos of the Minster & The Armed Man (27:03) Closing prayer: St Teresa of Ávila Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and do share this episode with a friend. Tags: Church of England, Anglican, Diocese of Norwich, Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, Christian podcast, pilgrimage, Camino de Santiago, Walsingham, Saint Olav, holy places, thin places, Psalm 121, prayer, parish life, faith, walking, Norfolk churches