If you were an English pilgrim in the Middle Ages, a visit to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral would be at the top of your bucket-list. Becket had been appointed Archbishop in 1162 by his friend, King Henry II. But the two soon became estranged over Becket’s insistence that the Church not surrender its rights and privileges to the Crown. This led to Becket’s murder in the cathedral in1170. The assassins were four knights who thought they were doing Henry’s will. Henry subsequently built a jewel-encrusted shrine in penance for the murder of his friend.

Becket was declared a saint by the Pope, and is still so venerated by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.  For generations, pilgrims thronged to the shrine.  But Henry VIII didn’t think that venerating a recalcitrant churchman (who opposed his king) was a very good idea, and he destroyed the shrine in 1538.

Today we can visit a compelling modern memorial to the slain archbishop.  Above a small altar is a sculpture depicting the swords of the four knights. In front of the altar is a rectangular stone marking the spot where Becket was killed, bearing the inscription “THOMAS” in dark red letters.  

Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring churches in the world. We think it should be near the top of everyone’s bucket list.

For the text sung by the choir, I chose John 16:22:  And you now therefore have sorrow.  The choir sings this verse in the vulgate Latin that would have been heard at the Gospel reading in the Roman Requiem Mass prior to the introduction of vernacular translations of the Bible. 

I scored the piece for altos, basses, boys’ choir, boy soloist; and strings (24 violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, 6 double basses). 

A version of this composition also appears in my Requiem Mass (2021), 22nd movement, (“Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam”).

M.M. Ray and D. Ellicott Ray