A kindred spirit!

We're visiting my wife's godparents in Southampton just now, and I had the chance to call in briefly at Romsey Abbey - a visit I can thoroughly recommend if you're in the vicinity. I was warmly welcomed by Brenda who did a splendid job of pointing me in the direction of various treasures the Abbey has to offer, although I'd only intended to pray for a while. 

After sitting for a spell in a side chapel praying the Jesus Prayer, I wandered around the east end of the Abbey where a series of small chapels flank the high altar. And tucked away on one wall I came across a remarkable wooden panel (see the photo) with this text on a sign below it: 

The Kneeling Priest. A late 15th century painting of a kneeling priest - possibly ordained in this Abbey - praying the Jesus Prayer. 

And indeed, the ribbon drifting out of the priest's mouth reads: Iesu fili dei, miserere mei: Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me. 

The Prayer, which has been extremely widespread in the eastern Orthodox churches for many centuries, was much less prominent in western spirituality until recent times, so this was a particularly delightful find. I took out my prayer rope again and, for a few minutes, a twenty first century priest prayed the ancient prayer in the company of this fifteenth century priest, and our prayers connected across the gulf of history. It made me smile. 

///ribcage.prongs.guideline