Episode 354: The St. Cuthbert Pilgrimage: Holy Island, the Cave, and a New Documentary

Join Fr. Edward Looney in a conversation with executive producer Daniel Catone, whose forthcoming documentary follows the ancient St. Cuthbert Pilgrimage Route — a spiritual journey beginning in Scotland and ending on Holy Island (Lindisfarne).

St. Cuthbert, one of the most beloved saints of Northern England, inspired centuries of devotion — but a recent attempt by American Catholic pilgrims and filmmakers to visit St. Cuthbert’s Cave unexpectedly sparked controversy in the UK.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Who St. Cuthbert was and why pilgrims still walk in his footsteps
• The origins and history of the St. Cuthbert Pilgrimage Route
• How long the trail is and what pilgrims encounter along the way
• The spiritual symbolism of St. Cuthbert’s cave
• Why access to the site became contested — and what happened
• What the filmmakers hope to accomplish through this project
• Encounters with locals along the pilgrimage walk
• What makes Holy Island so spiritually significant