The show that's been running for 799 years

London's new Lord Mayor, (not Boris, as we explained to a confused Australian tourist, but the one who wears a red cloak and rides in a gold coach), paraded through the streets of the City today in time-honoured fashioned, watched this year by a party from St James and St Anne, standing opposite the south porch of St Paul's Cathedral.

The Bermondsey crew were excited to catch sight of St James member, Ed Donaldson (right), representing the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers for which he is head man this year (congratulations Ed), accompanied by Mary-Jane, and also of our local community choir, Bermondsey Voices, who practise in St James and who had their own float in this year's show.

They've been doing this in London for 799 years - next year is the 800th anniversary of the Lord Mayor's Show, and its good to see that in all the pageantry and fun,  the deep Christian heritage of our nation and capital is recognised and honoured.

It was moving to see the Lord Mayor and his wife  kneel in prayer as the Dean of St Paul's prayed for God's blessing on them - as he does every year  having first presented the new Mayor with a copy of the Scriptures, the true source of wisdom and guidance.

As for the party from Bermondsey we had a great time, and after our picnic in the shadow of St Paul's, we took advantage of free admission on Lord Mayor's Show Day, for a quick tour of the Cathedral itself, which quite a few of our party had never seen from the inside.

Getting ready to watch the show