Shrine Candles - Visitor Survey August 2014

Original Purpose To gain some understanding of the inspiration that shrines provide Hereford, Durham, St Albans Research by The Very Reverend Michael Tavinor, Dean of Hereford: “St Albans - a major development of pilgrimage in an English Cathedral”

11am to 3pm - Monday to Friday in one week 151 people approached, of these 149 participated Only at St Alban’s Shrine: four other opportunities to light candles and a very popular fifth votive stand at the World War I display For every person who lit a candle there were many more (5-6 times as many?) who looked at the candles, read the Alban Prayer etc. but did not light a candle – we did not survey them

Working in pairs: a gentle, tactful approach We couldn’t always keep up Only two of the people approached declined Substantial majority happy to answer Some were obviously glad to have a chance to engage and talk about their feelings One visitor thought a survey sounded “commercial” but responded when we explained its intention – so we learned not to call it a survey!

Age and Gender All ages were represented – spread in age range Teenagers made up the smallest group People in their 50s the largest group 2 out of 3 were female By estimated Age: 12 and under 19 Teenager 6 20s 15 30s 26 40s 12 50s 29 60s 27 70 + 15

Geographical Spread 20% outside UK e.g. Hungary, Sweden, South Africa, Russia, Australia, Kenya, Poland and the USA Majority UK About 20% St Albans About 30% Hertfordshire 10% SE England

Self-described religious background Anglicans 34% RC 28% Other Christian 15% Other Faith 6% E.g. Muslims, Zoroastrians, Buddhists No religious identity 17% E.g. “I love the openness of this place and that I can just come when I want to” “Visiting and learning about St Alban and the history of this place made me want to light a candle. I thought about others who have been here before me”

Frequency 75% frequently and regularly lit candles (at least once a week or whenever they saw candles) 1% had never lit a candle like this before 15% were “regulars” at St Albans Cathedral

Intentions when lighting a candle (106 responses) About 40% to remember departed loved ones – “I am not able to visit my father’s grave often enough” A teenager: “Mum can look down on us in any church in the world when we do this”

Another 40% lit candles for someone alive who was special to them or who needed their prayers Often someone ill but variety of reasons… “I have no faith myself but this is for my grandmother who believes”

Next were those who particularly gave thanks for St Alban as a witness to the Christian faith Several people were thinking of other Christians who could not worship freely or who were persecuted e. g. “For Christians in Iraq”

Many talked about their own spiritual needs: one young woman simply expressing that her candle was “for my heart” Another talked about giving thanks for his life and the desire to use it well Wide range of personal petitions that give insight to the human condition: one for her baby due next week, another for a daughter taking an exam, others to seek personal forgiveness

One woman was overwhelmed with a personal sense of joy and relief that she had recovered from an unexplained illness A man particularly prayed that the succeeding generations of his family would come to share his faith, especially “that my grand-children may one day be baptised”

Actions for us as a result of the survey Encourage daily chaplains to interact with candle-lighters: Many visitors were so pleased to talk about their intention when lighting a candle A sense that by naming it out loud it becomes more "real" for some Others were clearly often very emotional (sometimes we deliberately didn't approach them if this was abundantly evident) and needed support

Improve interpretation of what the Shrine is and who St Alban is: 2 out of 3 people knew St Alban and his story 1 in 3 people made it as far as the shrine without knowing What should we display? e.g. St Alban’s estimated year of martyrdom and why he suffered? New visitors “Why isn’t this place better known? We should bring our parish here!”

Questions for discussion “Turning visitors into pilgrims” What is your reaction to that statement? What do you do that engages visitors’ spiritual awareness when they visit? How do you ensure that “the whole story” of your place is told? Do you think we should signal explicitly that a place of worship is for people of all faiths and none? If “yes”, then how?