Location
The Temple Church
The Temple Church, London, at 6.30 pm Tuesday 5 March 2024, hosts the English premiere of a new play, ‘Thrice to Rome’, a dramatized reading written by Norman Doe, FRHistS, about the three appearances of Gerald of Wales before the Papal Court of Innocent III (1201-1203).
In the play, Norman Doe re-casts Gerald’s own account of the trials. Gerald is most famous for his books on Wales, but this play re-imagines him as a canon lawyer of European stature. The trials took place when Gerald appealed to the Pope to confirm his election as Bishop of St Davids and to recognise the independence of the church in Wales from the church in England – both opposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the King of England.
Following a very successful performance in October 2023 at St Davids Cathedral, Wales, ‘Thrice to Rome’ is a fascinating tale of canonical intrigue, Church and State in conflict and an epic clash between St Davids and Canterbury. It also raises issues of contemporary resonance, about nationhood, justice and law.
The Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar and consecrated in 1185. The effigies in the Round Church include the figure of William Marshall, 1st Earl of Pembroke (d 1219). The Church was the scene of negotiations which led to the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. All of this occurred during the lifetime of Gerald of Wales.
Further information and to book tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thrice-to-rome-tickets-790158343877
Image Credit: Christine Matthews. Source: Wiki Commons. License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.