An Oxfordshire community has Abbey celebrated its 50th anniversary visit of the Dalai Lama.
Tibetans joined in for the celebration on Sunday October 22 at the Abbey Sutton Courtenay in Abingdon, led by teacher Lelumg Rinpoche.
The Dalai Lama made his first visit to the UK in 1973 during which he stopped off at the Abbey, home at the time to Tibetan refugees.
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Dr Javier Takamura, director of the Abbey Sutton Courtenay said: “This association with His Holiness and with the Tibetan people, is a precious gift to both The Abbey and the people of Sutton Courtenay.”
The Abbey was specially decorated for the 1973 visit which was part of European tour that included meeting the Pope at the Vatican in Rome, with its gateway facing the village green elaborately decorated for the occasion.
The Dalai Lama met the then archbishop of Canterbury Dr Michael Ramsey as part of the tour after which he made a trip to the Abbey to offer blessing to fellow Tibetans.
Links between the Abbey and Dalai Lama continue to live on, with the centre’s chair of trustees, Adrian Rance-McGregor’s grandson, being named Tenzin after the Dalai Lama whose given name was Tenzin Gyatso.
The Abbey is today used as an interfaith retreat centre welcoming guests ‘from all faiths and none’.
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