« Bishop Matthew of Sourozh visited North Wales »

On September 7, 2024, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh paid an archpastoral visit to the diocesan district of Wales. In the ancient church of St. Winifred, Martyr of Trefinon († 630) in the village of Gwytherin, built on the site of an ancient monastery where St. Eleril (7th century) was the abbot, the Orthodox Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the first time since the division of the Christian Church in 1054.

His Grace was assisted at the service by Dean of the diocesan district of Wales, Hegumen Deiniol (Davis), Secretary of the Sourozh Diocese Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, Priest Anatoly Vikhrov, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch and Deacon Lazarus Jones.  The divine service was conducted in Church Slavonic, English and Welsh. 

The service was attended by pilgrims from London, various cities in Wales, Northern England and Scotland. 

After the Liturgy, a religious procession around the church took place. After which Hegumen Deiniol warmly greeted Bishop Matthew and thanked him for his archpastoral visit and the joy of fellowship in this holy place where the holy martyr Winifred labored and was buried. In memory of the pilgrimage, Father Daniel presented Bishop Matthew with an icon of the Welsh holy martyr King Doged (5th century). 

In turn, Bishop Matthew noted the importance of the historical event - the celebration of the first Orthodox Liturgy in this holy place after the division of the Christian Church in the 11th century and expressed hope for regular pilgrimage trips to the holy places of Wales in the future. In memory of the visit, the Right Reverend Bishop presented Father Deiniol with a liturgical Gospel, published in English by the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House with the participation of the Diocese of Sourozh.

In conclusion, the clergy and pilgrims shared a common meal.

Holy Martyr Winifred of Gwytherin, Treffinon, Wales (Winifred, Winefride, Gwenfrewi; + 630/ca. 660)

Memory kept on November 3.

A virgin of noble birth who lived in north Wales in the seventh century. The niece and spiritual daughter of Saint Beuno, after his death she entered the monastery of Gwitherin, where she lived under the spiritual guidance of Saint Eleril. The son of a neighboring chief named Caradog, seized with carnal passion, pursued her and cut off her head with a sword. The place where her head fell became known as Trefynnon (in Welsh) or Holywell (in English), which means "holy spring" - because of the appearance of a healing spring, the water from which helps all who take it with faith. To this day, Holywell remains a place of pilgrimage in England.

According to the life of the Saint, Winifred’s uncle, Saint Beuno, resurrected her by prayer, after which she returned to the monastery in Gwytherin, where she eventually became an abbess.

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