Thread by @Armentarius

OTD 850 years ago (Weds 2nd Dec 1170) Thomas Becket arrives at Canterbury, returning to his cathedral church for the first time in over six years. (Badge mould depicting Becket on horseback on his return from exile, BM 1890,1002.1)

News of his arrival at Sandwich had travelled ahead, so the cathedral church was suitably decorated and bellringers stood ready to mark his entrance into the city. Becket rode the 12 miles with his large retinue, including Alexander Llewellyn his crossbearer going before him.

His route was lined by the inhabitants of Kent, who came out to greet him with their parish priests. Becket's route took him through Ash, Wingham, Littlebourne (his own archiepiscopal manors) and he would have seen the cathedral from the top of St Martin's Hill

He was met at the city gates (either Burgate or Newingate, it's not clear) by a procession of chanting monks and the citizens of Canterbury. The cathedrals bells, organs, and trumpets were all sounded. Becket handed out clothes, food, and money to widows and orphans.

He entered the cathedral precincts through the Christchurch gate on the Buttermarket. William Urry suggests that the refrain sung to greet him was 'Christus vincit; Christus regnat; Christus imperat'

Becket removed his shoes, and entered the cathedral through the great western doors. He prostrated himself on the pavement of the nave, then walked up to the high altar and prostrated himself again before it.

He went up to his archiepiscopal throne (situated above the high altar in Conrad's choir) and received the monks one-by-one with the kiss of peace, before going to the chapter house and delivering a sermon on the text 'Here we have no abiding city, but rather seek one to come'

It had been a very long day on top of a difficult six years for the archbishop. Herbert of Bosham was present at his return to the cathedral, and later drew this picture of a very haggard-looking Becket in his psalter (Trinity College Cambridge, B.5.4 fo. 1r)

In the later Middle Ages the Feast of the Return was celebrated on 2nd December at Canterbury Cathedral. It wasn't a major pilgrimage feast, but it was very important for the monastic community, and the responsibility of the custodians of Becket's shrine.

After the hour of Sext had finished the custodians lit the eight candles on the shrine, which stayed lit until the end of Compline on 3rd Dec. They provided seven candles each weighing 7lb to stand and burn before the relics in the choir, in memory of his 7 years (sic) of exile.

On Dec 2nd and 3rd solemn monastic processions were made to the shrine, and a solemn Mass in copes held there following the Mass of the BVM in the nave Lady Chapel.

After Vespers on 2nd Dec the shrine custodians supplied the monks in refectory 2.5lb of comfits, 1.5lb of sweetmeats, and 3 gallons of wine, in memory of St Thomas and the meal he had with the monks of Canterbury on his return from exile.

In the fifteenth century it was thought that he taught the monks four things at dinner on that day: how to appear humble; how to pray; how to present the kiss of peace; and how to graciously bestow an abundance of spices and drinks.