Lives, Legends and Landscapes: A Pilgrimage to Northern Wales
May 18 – 26, 2013
Day 1: Saturday,
May 18: Starting the Journey
Our pilgrimage begins on Saturday
afternoon as we gather at Gladstone’s Library for tea and introductions . . .
to the pilgrimage, to each other and to the remarkable facility that will be
our home base during our time in Wales.
After dinner and conversation, the evening ends with a service of prayer
to set our intentions and bless the journey we embark upon together. |
| Cloister Garden, Chester Cathedral |
Day 2: Sunday, May 19: Crossing the Threshold
Today we explore the border town of
Chester, one of the best preserved walled cities in Britain, and an important
threshold between the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic worlds. A walking tour of the town reveals its Roman
origins and subsequent history. Wander
the Roman walls, explore the Benedictine history of Chester Cathedral, and
learn about the complex relationship between the people of Wales and the inhabitants
of Chester from its founding through the Saxon conquest, Norman invasion, and
in the centuries that followed.
Our afternoon in Chester ends with
time spent at Chester Cathedral. Vice
Dean Canon Peter Howell-Jones will greet the group and talk to us about the
cathedral community. At a special civic
Evensong we’ll be joined by Mr. Edmund Burton, Chairman of the Cathedral
Council and his wife, Angela, who will also accompany us on a tour of the
cathedral following the service.
Day 3: Monday, May 20: Tending the Tradition
Our morning begins with a visit to
the ruins of Basingwerk Abbey. During
its four hundred year history, the Cistercian community at Basingwerk offered
hospitality to princes, poets, and pilgrims.
After time for reflection at Basingwerk, we make our way to St. Asaph’s
Cathedral, where we have the honor of being the first pilgrimage group to be
welcomed as part of the diocese’s Year of the Pilgrimage. The
smallest cathedral in Britain, St. Asaph’s has survived destruction by
accidental fires, rebellious natives, and occupying outsiders, holding the
sacred space consecrated by St. Kentigern in the sixth century. We will hear about the diocese’s plans for
education and events related to the Year of the Pilgrimage and add our prayers
to the 800 year tradition of daily prayer and the chorus of those voices that
have worshiped on this holy ground before us.
Continuing in the footsteps of our
pilgrim ancestors, in the afternoon we visit Winefride’s Well, where the
healing waters have beckoned the faithful for over thirteen centuries. A litany of healing at the well will be
followed by an opportunity for any who wish to do so to take the waters. We
return to St. Asaph’s Cathedral for Evensong with the Rt. Rev. Gregory Cameron,
bishop of St. Asaph, before heading back to Hawarden.
Day 4: Tuesday, May 21: Living with Compassion
Today we travel to the northwest
coast to visit churches established by two prominent Welsh saints: Beuno and Dwynwen. In Clynnog Fawr we explore the village church
on the site of what was once a Celtic monastery established by Beuno and learn
how pilgrims of long ago sought healing for themselves and for their livestock
at the nearby holy well.  |
| Caernarfon Castle |
In the afternoon we make our way to
Ynys Llanddwyn or Llanddwyn Island.
Known as the patron saint of lovers in Wales, Dwynwen sought refuge on
this tidal island to immerse herself in a life of prayer and solitude after a
failed love affair. Now part of the
Newborough Warren National Nature Reserve, those who are able may make the mile
long walk to the island for an afternoon of quiet reflection, while others may
prefer to find a quiet spot on the beach or wander along one of the many nature
trails.
Day 5: Resting Mind, Body and
Spirit
Spend the day curled up with a book
from William Gladstone’s library, stroll the pastoral grounds of Hawarden
Castle, experience the liveliness of a medieval market town in nearby Mold, or
sit by the sea in Llandudno. Today is
your day to reflect and rejuvenate in a way that feeds your spirit. In the evening, Bishop Gregory will celebrate
Eucharist for the pilgrimage group and join us for dinner and conversation. |
| St. Deiniol's Cathedral, Bangor |
Day 6: Nurturing Community
Thursday morning begins with a visit
to Bangor Cathedral to worship with the community there for the service of Holy
Eucharist. Initially founded as a
monastery by St. Deiniol in the sixth century, Bangor is now a university city
with the cathedral at its heart. After
the service, we spend time with the Rev. Dr. Canon Sue Jones, dean of Bangor
Cathedral, learning about the cathedral’s past, present and future role in the
community.
In the afternoon we visit the site of
another sixth century monastery, Penmon Priory.
Originally founded as a Celtic monastery by St. Seiriol, Viking raids
destroyed the original structures but the ruins of later Augustinian monastic
buildings remain, as does the church and St. Seiriol’s holy well. After a ritual of blessing at the well, we
return to Hawarden, stopping at another church marking a holy well, St.
Elian’s. Unlike most wells that are
known for their healing waters, however, St. Elian’s developed a different
reputation and is more commonly known as “The Cursing Well.”
Day 7: Friday, May 24: Praising Creation
This morning we walk back in time
with a visit to Llyn Cerrig Bach. Over
two thousand years ago, ancient Celts gathered at this lake to offer prayer and
oblations. At this holy site, we gather
for Morning Prayer in the Celtic tradition, and then hear the story of these
early Celts and how their traditions help shaped Christianity in Wales. In the afternoon we connect with another
early Celt, St. Patrick, and book end our day with Afternoon Prayer at the
church he reportedly founded after being shipwrecked off the coast of
Wales.  |
| Valle Crucis Abbey |
Day 8: Saturday, May 25: Finding
Sanctuary
Nestled in a valley surrounded by
rolling green hills, the Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis provided sanctuary
for monks seeking an ascetic life of contemplation, and a creative crucible for
several prominent Welsh poets of the middle ages. This morning we visit the abbey ruins for a
time of quiet contemplation to nurture our own creative spirits. In the afternoon we head for another
sanctuary, St. Aelhaiarn's Church, part of the network of small pilgrim
places. A fourteenth century church nestled in a grove
of ancient yews, today St. Aelhaiarn’s offers sanctuary to those who seek a
quiet place for reflection. After dinner
we’ll gather for a final time of sharing and a ritual of blessing as we prepare
for the journey home.
Day 9: Returning Home
In the morning we depart by plane and
train, bus and taxi. Whether we are
traveling home or heading elsewhere for further adventures, we carry the
blessings of the pilgrimage and our fellow pilgrims with us as we leave
Gladstone’s Library.
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