Movie causes cathedral to take down 'blood libel' leaflet

A cathedral has taken down a leaflet detailing an antisemitic medieval myth after being prompted by a new film. Norwich Cathedral decided to remove the pamphlet after participating in the short documentary *The Innocents*, which was created for the 2025 UK Jewish Film Festival.

The leaflet contained the infamous Norwich blood libel a fabricated accusation from the 12th century that claimed Jews had ritually murdered a local boy named William. This myth spread far and wide during that time.

In the film, members of the Norwich Jewish community expressed their discomfort with the leaflet being displayed in the cathedral's Holy Innocents chapel, which was named after the biblical account of King Herod's massacre of infants.

Dr. Marian Prinsley, president of the Norwich Hebrew Congregation, commented on the significance of removing the leaflet, saying: "Its symbolically very important for Jewish people in this country and beyond. You cannot have the story of King Herod mixed with the story of William of Norwich, where Jews are blamed for the murder of children."

Dr. Prinsley also noted that presenting these two events together has been a long-standing issue within the Jewish community. "Saint William was said to be the boy murdered in Norwich, but there is no evidence linking Jews to his death," she explained. She believed the myth was invented to attract pilgrims and raise funds for the cathedral, but its impact on the Jewish community was deeply harmful.

The Very Revd Dr. Andrew Braddock, Dean of Norwich Cathedral, agreed on the need for a more honest approach to their history. "We must acknowledge that this place was central to spreading the blood libel myth, which caused immense suffering," he said. "The Norwich blood libel has played a tragic role in the history of antisemitism."

Norwich Cathedral's Holy Innocents Chapel is located near the site where the medieval shrine of William is thought to have stood.

The Jewish Small Communities Network commissioned the documentary, directed by Jonathan Weinberg. Although Weinberg noted that the presentation of the story in the chapel may not have explicitly reinforced the blood libel myth, he acknowledged that it could still be perceived as offensive to the Jewish community. "The film helped give the Jewish community the confidence to approach the cathedral and express how they felt, and to suggest a more honest way to present the story," Weinberg said.

In the final scenes of the film, Dr. Braddock informs Dr. Prinsley that the leaflet has been removed, acknowledging that "we need to do this better." The cathedral and Norwich Synagogue will meet next month to discuss how best to present William's story in a more "meaningful" way.

*The Innocents* will be screened in cinemas as part of the 2025 UK Jewish Film Festival.

Author: Maya Henderson