900 candles for Aelred's 900th anniversary

The 900th anniversary of the birth of St Aelred of Rievaulx was marked in spectacular style yesterday evening (Wednesday 19 May 2010), when 900 candles were lit in a twilight celebration.

The arrangement of candles filled the East end of the ruined church, with the number 900 depicted in 300 candles in front of the altar, and the steps into the chapel at the rear and window sills illuminated with nightlights in votive holders.

“The light breeze caused us a few concerns when a couple of gusts extinguished over 100 candles, but they were soon relit, and looked stunning as a sunny afternoon made way for dusk,” says regional marketing manager, Nicola Bexon.

Helping keep the candles alight was ‘Brother Anthony’, alias site guide Tony Powell, wearing traditional Cistercian robes for the occasion. The event was part of Rievaulx Abbey’s Aelred 900 season of events and activities marking the anniversary of St Aelred of Rievaulx, the third Abbot of Rievaulx Abbey and the man credited with building the Abbey’s position of power and commerce in North Yorkshire. The Richard Branson of his day, Aelred, combined a charismatic personality with a sound head for business.

In his 20-year tenure, from 1147 – 1167, he was instrumental in its major growth and expansion, turning the abbey into an international big business by capitalising on its land and farming portfolio and generating enormous wealth and prestige for what was, in effect, a leading Cistercian ‘corporation.’ Born in 1110 at Hexham in Northumberland and raised in the court of King David of Scotland, Aelred, first visited Rievaulx Abbey after staying at nearby Helmsley Castle – now also an English Heritage attraction – on a diplomatic mission. After taking the helm at Rievaulx, his commercial acumen as its ‘CEO’ coupled with his magnetic spiritual leadership, attracted a devoted following which saw the abbey’s population double, its buildings expand to accommodate them, its lands extend as far north as Teesside - and its reputation soar.

Aelred became a ‘celebrity’ in his own right, with his acclaimed spiritual writings spreading his philosophy of the Cistercian way of life as a simpler, less materialistic and more egalitarian way of life than its Benedictine counterpart - an order which had gained a reputation for offering a life of luxury only to those of high birth.

The back-to-basic, environmentally-friendly principles he extolled strike a familiar ‘green’ chord today. The inhabitants at Rievaulx, who included the lower classes as labourers and lay people, lived an austere, self-sufficient life, eating only one vegetarian meal a day in winter and observing silence. Abbot Aelred’s health may have suffered as a result of this strict regime, which also included fasting and purging himself in cold baths. He was plagued by ill health and in his later years, was racked with pain from arthritis and kidney stones. The third abbot of Rievaulx was canonised after his death.

ENDS
Rievaulx Abbey’s 2010 events include:
29 May - 6 June 2010 The Path to Paradise
10-11 July 2010 Medieval arts & crafts
24 July - 30 August 2010 Herb hunt
21-22 August 2010 Little Boots Safari & Rye Tales
12 December 2010 Christmas Carols

Photograph taken by Lorne Campbell of Guzelian

For further media information, please contact: Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mob: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk