Shrine's rector 'absolutely delighted' by new Pope

The rector of a Catholic shrine that has just hosted a major pilgrimage said he was "absolutely delighted" at the election of the new Pope.

Father Robert Billing, rector of the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady, at Walsingham, Norfolk, was speaking after the election of Pope Leo XIV last week.

"I think he is going to be a wonderful Pope for us," said Fr Billing.

Thousands of Tamil worshippers made their way to the shrine at the weekend for its first pilgrimage since the papal inauguration.

Since the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, Fr Billing said he had seen more "interest and momentum in the Catholic faith".

On the election of the new Pope, the first from the United States, he said: "I am absolutely delighted. I met him once in Lancaster.

"Who would have known that he would have turned out years later to be our latest Holy Father? We are praying for him and delighted."

Walsingham has been a place of pilgrimage for all Christian denominations since the Middle Ages.

It became known as England's Nazareth after a Saxon noblewoman reported a vision of the Virgin Mary, who told her to build a replica of the house where Jesus was raised.

It welcomes thousands of pilgrims each year, including many Tamils.

The majority are Catholic, but some are Hindu, and all revere the Virgin Mary.

Fr Billing said: "Generally, Tamils - people from Sri Lanka - love to come to Walsingham, and that is because they love to visit Our Lady shrine.

"They have great devotion on their own terms to our blessed mother."

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