A THANKSGIVING service blessing asparagus at Worcester Cathedral has come under fire after being labelled an “absurd pantomime” that “brought the Church of England into disrepute.”

But Canon Precentor at Worcester Cathedral, Michael Brierley, has defended the service, pointing out it is part of English tradition.

The service, held on Sunday, helped mark the beginning of the popular British Asparagus Festival, which annually celebrates the much-loved vegetables through various events, including an asparagus run.

However the service, beginning two months of activities, has received criticism nationally, including from influential Church of England blog Archbishop Cranmer, run by theologian Adrian Hilton.

In the blog he slammed the service as “a farce” with strong criticism of having characters, such as Asparagus Man, involved.

He compared them to Teletubbies adding they had “no place at all in a worshipful act of reverence”.

The blog said: “Did the Dean of Worcester Cathedral not pause to think for just one second how utterly, utterly absurd this would look? Really, words fail.

“A sacred procession down the Cathedral nave becomes an infantile pantomime as a block of asparagus is elevated and adored like the Blessed Host, and two men dressed up like Monty Python pay some sort of vacuous obsequious homage.

“This is church, for God’s sake.

“England might be a major producer of asparagus, and the Vale of Evesham might be hosting the world famous Asparagus Festival, but where exactly does this stop?

“Would the Church of England permit a man dressed up as a baked bean to process behind a Heinz tin of the things.

“Surely Worcester Cathedral could have found a way of thanking God for asparagus without bringing the Church of England into disrepute.”

The controversy came as a group from the festival travelled to the European Parliament on Tuesday, when asparagus was granted protected geographical status under EU Law.

Canon Precentor at Worcester Cathedral, Michael Brierley, said: “Asparagus-growing is a vital part of life in Worcestershire.

“Recently, Vale of Evesham asparagus has been awarded EU protected name status, and when the festival organisers asked if a round of the vegetable could be blessed in a service at the cathedral on St George’s day, the first day of their farming season, the cathedral was very happy to include a thanksgiving for asparagus at its evening service, as a sign of the abundant provision and generosity of God.

“Offering to God the first-fruits of the harvest is deeply embedded in both biblical and English tradition.”

“Indeed, offering the first-fruits of the wheat harvest has been recognised by the Church of England with formal liturgy since 2006.”

One of the festival organisers, Angela Tidmarsh said: “The Cathedral have been incredible supportive.

“It was a wonderful occasion - it was a thanksgiving service for asparagus and its growers in Worcestershire.”

Chairman of the Asparagus Festival Community Interest Company, Nigel Smith, added that the appearance of St George and Gus the Asparagus man had "in no way detracted" from the dignity of the service or occassion.

"St George is the patron saint and was appropriate on St George's Day, and Gus represents the growers of asparagus in the Vale of Evesham," he said.