Thomas Dole

There are some quaint customs around Cathedrals, and this morning in Lichfield we observed one of them: the Thomas Dole breakfast.

When I first encountered this strange community meal (I mean, this strange meal for this lovely community...) when we moved to the Close in 2006, I assumed it was a meal in honour of some ancient benefactor called Thomas Dole -- a distant relative, perhaps, of the former US senator Bob Dole. But no: it's a 'dole', as in 'a handout', which happens on St Thomas's Day (according to the old Book of Common Prayer calendar) on the 21st of December each year, when the Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral provide bread for the poor of the Cathedral Close.

So this morning, on the coldest, darkest morning of the year (on the shortest day), some of those who live in the Cathedral Close (all were invited), gathered for a service of Holy Communion at 8am, which was followed by a simple breakfast together in one of the community rooms adjacent to the Cathedral, called College Hall. There was fruit juice, tea and coffee and warm bread buns. It's an ancient tradition, dating back to the 13th century (though, as the Bishop of Lichfield remarked this morning, it was probably at some point discontinued, only to be revived again in the 20th century...).

The origins are clear: in 1265 the Rector of Wigan (Richard), together with his patron, Sir Robert Banestre, endowed the Cathedral here with an annual pension from the revenues of the benefice. Out of this sum, 'five marks' were to be 'expended annually in bread for the poor'. The document which records this bequest states that each new Rector of Wigan, immediately on his institution, should come to the Cathedral in Lichfield, and there before the Dean and Chapter, should swear to continue to make these annual payments -- and if he should ever cease, it should be lawful for the Bishop of Lichfield to compel him to pay it 'by suspension, excommunication and interdict'.

It's probably just as well that that practice ceased: Rectors of Wigan no longer visit our Cathedral and no longer make any such undertaking. As far as I'm aware, no annual sum is now paid from Wigan to the Chapter of the Cathedral here in Lichfield. But it seems good, somehow, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, that the other practice continues, at least symbolically, to remind us that the Christian Gospel is good news especially for the poor.