After several years transferring it to a Sunday, as part of our 'Ely 900' events, in 2009 we had another go at keeping St Edmund’s Day on the actual day, 20th November.

In accordance with very ancient Christian custom, the day of the Patronal Festival began the evening before, Thursday 19th November, at ‘sundown’, with the Service of First Vespers & Benediction, which was sung to the beautiful ancient chants of plainsong, accompanied sensitively by Paul Parsons at the organ.

The principal Service was the Patronal Festival Eucharist on Friday 20th November.  For which we welcomed a guest preacher, Fr Stephen Bould ssc, who is parish priest of St Peter’s Folkestone, Chairman of FCP (the Church Union's Federation of Catholic Priests) and a member of the Bishop of Richborough's Priests' Council.  We also welcomed a visiting Choir to help enrich our worship, The Hurstingstone Singers, directed by Paul Parsons.

The Choir sang music by Tallis (the Gloria from the Missa Puer Natus Est Nobis) and his famous pupil Byrd (Sanctus and Benedictus and Agnus Dei from the Mass for Four Voices) and Bruckner (Ave Maria). 

And the congregation enjoyed singing some favourite hymns, and of course the old East Anglian ballad in praise of St Edmund, "Now let East East Anglia's people sing | the praises of their martyr king..."

Following both Services, the celebrations continued with refreshments, which was a lovely way of meeting one another socially, and getting to know one another, thus extending the fellowship God gives us.

In addition to regular congregation members of St Edmund's, we were delighted to be able to welcome friends from St Dominic's Roman Catholic Church; and pilgrims on an Inter-Faith Pilgrimage to Walsingham from London, who -- having found us on the internet! -- diverted to Downham specially in order to join us for our Festival.