Video: Why a cat memorial service was held at British Cathedral in Southwark in 2020
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
One winter day in 2008, a hungry stray cat wandered into London's Southwark Cathedral and refused to leave. Soon she chose a cozy place for herself right next to the warm pipe under the altar. She also loves to soak up the pillow in the courtyard of the compound. The cat, named Doorkins Magnificat, won the hearts of both clergy and visitors. She became such an important part of the church community that she even had the honor of hosting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. An amazing story of an amazing cat, similar to a Christmas tale, further in the review.
Southwark Cathedral is an Anglican temple on the south bank of the Thames, located in the heart of the changing and thriving Bankside community. In 2008, between Christmas and New Years, a stray cat began to visit the Cathedral, each morning waiting for food at the South West Doors. After being fed several times, this cat decided (like all cats) that the cathedral was where she would like to live and stayed there.
The enterprising animal received the pretentious nickname Doorkins Magnificat. The cat soon became an integral part of the cathedral. She was popular among the clergy, attendants and visitors to the temple. Some began to come to church just to see it. The cat made temple attendance popular. Feline Evangelism!
According to Dean Andrew Nunn, Dorkins has made "this place more attractive and more accessible to thousands of people." When the queen was expected to arrive at the cathedral, the cat fell asleep in the place of Her Majesty and was honored to meet the august person. Elizabeth II was fascinated by the fluffy mischief.
In August 2017, the first book on Dorkins was published, giving a complete overview of the cathedral and a typical week in the life of the self-proclaimed Magnificat.
Dorkins could be quite elusive, but it was not uncommon to see her parading in front of the altar during the service. She also loved to sleep peacefully in the choir dean's booth during the day or take a nap in the cemetery, basking in the sun. During the winter months, the cat loved to stretch out on one of the radiators or bury herself in the hay in the Christmas manger during Advent and Christmas.
Unfortunately, Dorkins passed away on September 30th. Since the end of 2019, she has lived in retirement with one of the cathedral ministers and died in his arms after a stroke. She was always an active and fearless cat, roaming freely around the cathedral and outside. In 2017, Dorkins became blind and could no longer walk wherever she wanted - it was unsafe. After the terrorist attack on London Bridge, they stopped letting her out of the cathedral. The cat lived happily in this warm place, which became her home and was safe. Everyone loved her very much and tried to please.
In Southwark, a memorial service was held to honor the memory of the darling and was buried in the local cemetery. The Dean gave a speech of thanks, in which he noted how many pleasant minutes Dorkins brought to many people. In his moving obituary, Andrew Nunn thanked God for creating such wonderful companions for us. The once lost kitten will surely be missed by many. The cat has become inseparable from Southwark. The live Doorkins Magnificat memorial service had 22,473 views.
Commenting on Dorkins' passing to the press, the Dean of Southwark, the Rev. Andrew Nunn, said: “She met Her Majesty the Queen and attended more services than most of us. She has been photographed by thousands of people, and a book has been written about her. She has been a blessing to us in many ways. We will miss her very much."
The story of Dorkins' life and death serves as an excellent proof of how much love an ordinary stray cat can bring to the world.
Cats are amazing creatures. Read the story about how does a cat who considers himself a dog live, and why it happened.
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