Resurrection of the Holy Thorn Tree: Glastonbury's vandalised shrine comes back to life
As a Christian symbol, it seems appropriate that its resurrection took place in time for Easter.
Glastonbury's Holy Thorn tree began to show new buds this week, three months after it was savagely cut down by vandals.
According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea – who some say was Jesus's great-uncle – travelled to Wearyall Hill after the Crucifixion and stuck a wooden staff belonging to Jesus into the ground before he went to sleep.
Positive vibes: The Holy Thorn Tree in Glastonbury, which has been colourfully decorated by well-wishers, is budding again three months after it was vandalised
When he awoke, the tale goes, the staff had sprouted into a thorn tree, which became a shrine for Christians across Europe.
Every year, the sacred tree flowered once at Christmas and once at Easter, until just before Christmas last year when it was vandalised, leaving the community of the small Somerset town fearing it was dead.
But that was before the council enlisted the help of Peter Frearson, a self-titled pagan wizard who happens to run his own horticultural business.
Mr Frearson said: 'Well-meaning but uninformed people were putting things like marmalade on the wounds.
'Mead, an alcoholic drink made from honey, was also popular, as well as various ales and Guinness on one occasion.
'There's also been a few ribbons tied round it, as well as lots of people holding hands around it, and circles of people projecting positive energy.'
Sacred: Well-wishers visit the tree in Glastonbury, Somerset
But Mr Frearson, nicknamed the Garden Wizard, had other ideas to ensure the tree's revival.
He said: 'We applied a dressing of pine resin and beeswax to stop further moisture and rain getting in, keep out bacteria and fungus, and applied nutrients.
'We covered it in horticultural fleece, then bubble wrap, then more fleece.
'Soon after we replaced the bubble wrap with hessian.
'We mulched around the base of the tree with well-rotted wood chips to keep the moisture off the ground, and we've also driven spikes into the ground and filled the holes with compost and bonemeal, and we'll do it again soon.'
Glastonbury's mayor John Coles said the display of new buds on the tree was 'wonderful news for the town'.
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