SANCTUARY, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Sanctuary in St Stephen’s and Norwich go back a long way, and the idea of places being a refuge goes right back to the time before the Israelites settled in the land of Canaan, when God spoke to them through Moses, telling them to designate certain cities as places of refuge. “These six cities shall be refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them…” Numbers 35:15
From the late twelfth century till 1623, felons were able to seek refuge in a church for up to forty days, at which point they had to either stand trial or leave the realm. If they chose the latter, they had to walk to the nearest port, wearing a simple white shift and carrying a cross – exiled, never to return. Churches continued to be places of sanctuary until Henry VIII sought to abolish the practice in 1540; however, eight towns were named where refuge could still be gained, and Norwich remained a city of sanctuary. During those times, St Stephen’s would have had many ‘felons’ living in the building, which rarely happens now….
Once again, Norwich is a City of Sanctuary and part of a national movement which seeks to build a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary, many of whom have lost their home, fled persecution, and now seek safety here. In recent times, there have been occasions when we have ‘housed’ a homeless person, and many of our café users find St Stephen’s a place to stop, feel safe, take a breath, and maybe meet friends or make new ones. The café was intended to offer sanctuary as well as refreshment. Looking to the future and ways to extend this work, we are applying to join the Norwich Sanctuary movement, which creates a network of charities working together to support refugees and asylum seekers. There is a faith stream that we would be part of, able to share ideas, learn from others, and work jointly.
Next, anyone who is interested in sharing ideas and experiences, we plan to have lunch together one Sunday. Date to be arranged. We would welcome your support!