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Celebrations Highlight Jubilee Year in Bury St Edmunds
June 15, 2026
More than 200 people gathered at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist on 13 June for the Diocese of East Anglia’s annual Marriage Celebration Mass, led by Bishop Peter Collins. Couples marked milestones ranging from one year to an extraordinary 67 years of marriage, representing a combined total of 3,308 years of married life.
The celebration extended beyond the Cathedral, with many more couples joining via live stream, including viewers as far away as the United States. Together, they formed a powerful witness to the strength and joy of Christian marriage across generations and continents.
The liturgy reflected deeply on the vocation of marriage. In the first reading from the Book of Tobit (Tobit 8:4b–8), the prayer of Tobit and Sarah offers a model of married love rooted in faith, self-giving and trust in God’s providence. Their words remind couples that marriage is not simply a private bond, but a sacred covenant lived in the presence of God, sustained by prayer and mutual devotion.
This theme was echoed in the Gospel reading from St John (John 15:9–12), where Christ calls his disciples to “remain in my love”. This command speaks directly to the heart of the sacrament of marriage: a call to love as Christ loves, with patience, sacrifice and enduring commitment. It is this faithful, self-giving love that sustains couples through the joys and challenges of married life, and which transforms ordinary moments into signs of God’s grace.
Following the homily, Bishop Peter invited all couples present to take part in the rite of renewal, reaffirming the promises they had made on their wedding day. This moving moment highlighted both the constancy of marital love and the grace that continues to strengthen it over time.
After Mass, couples and their families gathered in the Cathedral hall and gardens to celebrate together over tea and cakes, collecting certificates to mark their anniversaries. The joyful atmosphere reflected the sense of community and shared thanksgiving that defines this annual celebration.
The featured image captures Bishop Peter with Margaret and John Stowers, celebrating 67 years of marriage, alongside Patricia and Graham Wood (60 years) and Muriel and Fred Confue (65 years), offering a visible testament to lives of faithful, enduring love.
Photographs from the Mass and celebrations can be accessed here.
