Bishop leads St David's Day celebrations with message for Welsh ...

The new Bishop of St Davids thanks Wales’ politicians for their work in “these difficult days” in his first St David’s Day message to the Welsh Parliament.

Assuring Senedd members of his prayers, Bishop Dorrien Davies also encourages them with the words of Wales’ Patron Saint, St David, to “be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things”.

The message was delivered to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay by pupils and teachers from Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi Church in Wales VA School with Canon Leigh Richardson, Sub-Dean of St Davids Cathedral.

It says, “During these difficult days for Wales and the world, I am mindful of the responsibilities and pressures put upon all members of the Senedd as you face hard decisions and challenging situations.

“My St David’s Day message is a simple and sincere one. That is, to express heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all that you are doing for the well-being of the people of Wales.

“I would like to assure you of my continued best wishes and prayers, and share the eternal words of our Patron Saint, Dewi Sant,

“ ‘Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do’."

Bishop Dorrien will lead the annual St David’s Day celebrations in St Davids for the first time on Friday (March 1st).

The day starts at 9.30am with an address to pupils from the city’s Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi Church in Wales School at a service in the cathedral.

Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do

From there, Bishop Dorrien will travel to St Non’s where he will bless the holy well dedicated to the mother of St David before setting off, with others, at 11.15am on the annual pilgrim walk to the Oriel Y Parc visitor centre for the illumination of the St David stone at midday.

The procession will then move to the square in the centre of St Davids for the traditional blessing of the city and its people from the cross, at 12.15pm, before heading to the cathedral where Bishop Dorrien will lead prayers, with anointing, at the Shrine of St David.

In the afternoon, the Bishop will join the pupils from, Ysgol Penboyr VC School, Felindre, in the cathedral. The entire school is making a pilgrimage to St Davids for the occasion and will perform their new school hymn for the first time.

Bishop Dorrien will also visit an exhibition staged by the St Davids and Dewisland Historical Society in the city’s Memorial Hall.

The final celebration of the day will be the Patronal Choral Eucharist at 6pm at the cathedral, at which the Bishop will preside and preach. All are welcome to join in the procession and the service.

It will be an important and joyful day, says Bishop Dorrien. He says, “As 130th Bishop of St Davids I am very aware that today is not only an important day for the diocese and the province of Wales, but also for me personally. Celebrating this day in St Davids for the first time as Bishop, fills me with great joy as I lead the congregation of the Cathedral, pilgrims, and countless other people in the thanksgiving for our national Saint.

“St Davids is a unique place, where the veil between this world and the next is very thin, enabling us to reach out and touch the divine. Today is enriched as the words of St David echo through the centuries: ‘To be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things’. St David would want us to be mindful that, at the heart of today, we should remember the love and grace of Jesus Christ and follow him as he did. I would like to extend to all people, who are commemorating this day, my continued prayers, and, as Bishop of St Davids, my Episcopal Blessing.”