St David’s Cathedral to celebrate anniversary of English king’s pilgrimage
St David’s Cathedral is set to celebrate the anniversary of the pilgrimage of King Henry II of England.
On Wednesday 29th September it will hold a series of special services and events in the city of St Davids, Pembrokeshire, to mark the 850 years since the visit by the English monarch 850 years ago in 1171.
The Dean of St Davids, The Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones said the cathedral is “delighted to share the history of our cathedral”, which saw the “transition from rule by native princes of Wales to that of the Norman and English monarchy”.
The pilgrimage took place within a year of the brutal and public murder of Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket after a dispute over the rights and privileges of the Church.
Henry II invaded Wales several times, fighting wars with Welsh princes Owain ap Gruffudd of Gwynedd, and Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth.
The Dean of St Davids, The Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, told the Western Telegraph: “The 12th century was an important period in Welsh history, seeing the transition from rule by native princes of Wales to that of the Norman and English monarchy.
“We are delighted to share the history of our cathedral in the medieval period with visitors and pilgrims today.”
‘Tour’
The events include morning prayer in St Thomas Becket Chapel, and a tour of 12th Century St Davids Cathedral, which continues across the bridge between the Cathedral and the medieval Bishops Palace.
There will also be a talk titled “What happened here 850 years ago today?”, which will feature Rev’d Leigh Richardson, Sub-Dean, and Mari James, Library Development Officer.
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Dathlu disodliad ein tywysogion Cymreig a sefydliad cyfundrefn estron? Cywilyddus!
Yn union.
They obviously have lost the plot
Within the Cathedral are the tombs of Lord Rhys and almost certain!y that of his son Rhys Gryg all in plain sight
Why promote the Normans It’s like Israel erecting a monument to Hitler
This land is ours. the people of Wales not anyone else’s
It’s not like Hitler and the Jews. The Normans merely wanted to conquer Wales, like they had previously done with England, leaving the populace intact to produce food and keep the country ticking over. Hitler wanted to exterminate the Jewish peoples of all Europe, no matter how exalted or humble they might be. He was willing to waste resources and manpower to keep the extermination camps operating, right to the very end. The Normans in Wales did not descend to such levels of madness and evil.
shameful indeed
Like in 1940 we saw the transition from a democratic French Government to the Nazi thugs.
Beth yn y byd sy’n bod ar y bobol ‘ma.? Drato shwd beth.
Is this a part a muscular unionism?
I feel a mass picketing of this “celebration” coming on…
No English history in wales 🏴 kick all English history out of wales only welsh history in wales stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh it’s time for a new wales 🏴
Not surprised. The Cathedral and its staff show scant regard to Eales and it’s culture. You only have to visit to realise how little importance is given to the Welsh language within the confines of the cathedral. True also of the Church in Wales generally.
Yes very disappointing
Latin was the language of the church until very recently.
Not the Anglican church, that changed from Latin about 500 years ago.
Yes it very sad and disappointing that the Church in Wales doesn’t seem interested in the Welsh language
Why would the Dean of St Davids, The Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, celebrate an English Monarch’s visit when his pilgrimage was the forerunner to the Anglo-Norman invasion of Wales that usurped our native Monarchy resulting in the subsequent dissolving of the native Celtic Church to the diocese of Canterbury & England? Has she been at the Sacramental wine? She forgets, rather than celebrating an English King, should champion the birth of the Welsh Church and Christianity in Wales, which I might add, is far older than either the English, Irish or Scottish churches. It’s said that Christianity was… Read more »
Catholics are waiting for their churches back, though I personally don’t mind if we also get as “Celtic” as research allows. Quite a few churches are simply museums and it would be good to see them come to life as multi-denominational.
Now that would be a celebration, to unite Welsh Christians, or just those wanting peace.
Agreed. And why this decision is so odd? It’s like the recent shelved Iron Ring monument for NE Wales to celebrate Wales oppression by the English crown. Crazy?
Why?
That was my first thought when I saw the title of the article.
Why do they want to celebrate our conquest and colonisation? Seems crazy to me. I thought it was the Church in Wales not the Church of England.
I think a quiet demonstration is in order
On Wednesday I will be in St David’s to remind people of the heinous acts committed by the English monarchy on Wales. Celebrating these acts is disgusting and I will not sit back and let it go ahead.
Delighted to share our history of subservience? They wonder why the churches are empty of worshippers.
Celebrate? A day of national mourning surely.
English King? Henry II was still part of the Norman conquest. French was still the language of the royal court!
Either way he was not Welsh
Agree that this looks bad..but do the organizers use the word ‘celebrate’ or is that the headline writer?
Is this an Act of Contrition demanded by Boris via Hart and the Arch Oilman to atone for the sins of Bishop Penberthy I wonder ?
Heney 2nd used to visit Canterbury Cathedral once a year to be whipped as an act of pennance for the murder of Thomas À’Beckett