Custom demised: The Feast of the Conception of Our Blessed Lady, the Chapel of the Savoy, London

John Strype, in his 1822 Ecclesiastical Memorials notes that on the 8th of December was the conception of our blessed Lady and that:

“ a goodly procession at the Savoy by the Spaniards, the priest carrying the Sacrament between his hands, and one deacon carrying a censer censing, and another the holy-water stock, and a number of friars and priests singing; and every man and woman, knights also and gentlemen, bearing green tapers burning, and eight trumpets blowing; and when they ceased, then began the sackbuts to play, and when they had done, there was one who carried two drums on his back, and one came after beating them. And so done, they went about the Savoy, now singing, and a while after playing again, and by-and-by came singing into the church, and after that they went to mass.”

Whilst many Catholic churches make the feast day their processions are not as grand as that once down in the 16th century and it no longer happens at the Savoy chapel.