THE Bishop of Worcester was among pilgrims who travelled to the Holy Land for a ground-breaking visit.

The Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr John Inge, and the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley, led a unified group of both Anglican and Catholic pilgrims for the first ecumenical pilgrimage.

Bishop John said: “It was a life changing experience. I am grateful to those who had planned the trip and to the pilgrims themselves, who very quickly became a unified group.

“The Holy Spirit was at work from the moment that we got onto the coach in Worcester on our way to Heathrow.

“From that moment, our separate denominations didn’t seem to matter – we were just pilgrims travelling together.”

Bishop John led 27 others including six priests while Archbishop Longley led 28 including three priests, two deacons and a nun for the ten day trip at the beginning of November.

A single pilgrimage booklet was produced for the group and Eucharist and Mass were celebrated in the format of each communion alternately with hymns and chants sung which spanned both traditions.

The group visited 58 places across the Holy Land including Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee.

They also saw charitable projects supported by Friends of the Holy Land and McCabe Educational Trust: School of Joy and St Martha’s House and met local Christians.

Archbishop Longley said: “Our task now is to build on what we have started and encourage other dioceses of the two churches in England and Wales to experience similar joint pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

“As co-chairman of the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), I have been privileged to be involved in ten days of worship and prayer as pilgrims together to the land of our Saviour’s birth, work, death and resurrection.

“Our time together as the Body of Christ has given me enormous encouragement in my desire to work for Christian Unity.”

An ecumenical pilgrimage by candlelight will take place at Worcester Cathedral in January.

Archdeacon Robert Jones, who chaired the committee, said: “The small group who organised the pilgrimage now have the task of spreading the word. It’s really exciting to be involved in finding new opportunities for us to continue to work more closely together.”