The Pluscarden community retreat, scheduled for the first week in October, was nearly cancelled this year when our booked preacher had to cancel due to sickness. Happily Fr. Bill Russell WF was in the area, and agreed to stand in as our preacher at a very late stage.
25 September 2024: the 50th anniversary of the Abbatial Blessing of Abbot Alfred
Wednesday 25th September this year marked the 50th anniversary of Pluscarden’s attainment of Abbatial status. In mediaeval times Pluscarden was always a Priory, ruled by a Prior. He had the right to use a crozier, but not a Mitre. But on this day in 1974 Dom Alfred Spencer, up to then Prior of Pluscarden, was blessed as Abbot by Bishop Michael Foylan of Aberdeen: and so Pluscarden became an Abbey.
Haydn's Creation
New Abbot President
Vespers in Elgin Cathedral: Saturday 31 August 2024
Elgin Cathedral was founded by King Alexander II 800 years ago, in the year 1224.
Historic Scotland, who own and maintain the site, have done their best to mark this significant anniversary. But among all the events and promotions, there seems to have been no Christian religious service included anywhere.
An Urquhart Stone come to Pluscarden
As part of its quite radical reorganisation, in view of declining numbers, the Church of Scotland recently closed its long standing parish at Urquhart. Urquhart is a small village some 5 miles or so East of Elgin. There, some time between 1130 and 1150, King David founded a Benedictine Priory, established as a daughter house of Dunfermline Abbey.