Gwytherin, Conwy County Borough, Wales, September 10, 2024
Ajoyous event for Orthodox Christians living in the West occurred on Saturday, September 7, 2024, as the Orthodox Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the ancient Church of St. Winifred of Trefinon in the Welsh village of Gwytherin for the first time since the Great Schism of 1054.
His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate) celebrated the Liturgy in the church that stands on the site of an even older monastery, where St. Eleril (7th century) was the abbot, reports the Sourozh Diocese.
Bp. Matthew was concelebrated by several priests. The service, attended by pilgrims from London, various cities in Wales, Northern England, and Scotland, was chanted in Church Slavonic, English, and Welsh.
After the service, all went in a procession around the church. In memory of the service, Igumen Deiniol (Davis), dean of the Diocesan District if Wales, presented Bp. Matthew with an icon of the Welsh martyr King Doged (5th century).
In turn, Bp. Matthew presented Fr. Deiniol with a liturgical English-language Gospel, and expressed hope for regular pilgrimages to the holy places of Wales, emphasizing the importance of this first Liturgy in the church since the Schism.
Thank you for this article. It was well accepted with much joy. My best to the parish to flourish for the future.
I finally became Orthodox after .more than 12 years of studying & hoping for an open door!!!!! Glory to God forever!! Fr John & Journey to Orthodoxy helped me during the long walk, so much!! Many more years to Father John!
Welcome home from this Orthodox Christian in America
This is wonderful news, Fr John! There is so much sad news about how islam is taking over England, Ireland, Scotland with its evil actions, stabbings, lies, heresies – and it almost seems like no one is fighting back. Its wonderful to see these wonderful Orthodox Christians celebrating Orthodox Divine Liturgy in that lovely ancient church in Wales. I like to watch Fr Spyridon’s messages (from Wales too I believe) and Fr. Seraphim from Mull Monastery in Scotland. I pray for more of these Orthodox services in pre-schism churches.