Group revives All Souls Day tradition in Lewes by delivering cakes to mayor
A community interest company revived an All Souls Day tradition in Lewes this week.
Cluniac Network – Education and Involvement delivered soul cakes to the Mayor of Lewes, councillor Adrian Ross, on Monday, November 2.
Kate Hickmott and Helen Chaisson from the group took the cakes to Lewes Town Hall to mark the day that commemorates all departed souls, not just the saints that are honoured on All Saints Day (November 1).
Kate said: “All Souls Day was established in the 10th Century by the Abbot of Cluny, Odilo.”
She said the town of Cluny in Burgundy was the site of an influential monastery in medieval times.
Kate continued: “Established in 910, the influence of the monks from Cluny (Cluniacs) quickly spread far and wide throughout present day Europe. Lewes Priory (The Priory of St Pancras, Lewes) was the first and most important Cluniac priory in the UK founded by William and Gundrada Warrene who came to Sussex with William the Conqueror.
“All Cluniac priories followed the rules of the mother house in Cluny and so All Souls’ Day was celebrated in more than 2,000 Cluniac Priories throughout Europe.
“The Cluniacs came to an end in the UK with the destruction of the monasteries by Henry VIII. In France they lasted until the French Revolution in the 18th century but all that remain today are ruins in the UK and parish churches in France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Germany and Poland. We celebrate our Cluniac heritage, and links with sites throughout Europe and several Cluniac sites in the UK are celebrating All Souls’ Day by giving out soul cakes.”
Kate added that there was a tradition of poor people visiting wealthy dwellings and offering to sing songs and say prayers for the dead of the household in return for soul cakes.
She said: “We are hoping to revive this tradition to celebrate our Cluniac links.”