« The annual pilgrimage to the spring of St. Seiriol in Penmon »

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the fifth annual pilgrimage to the spring of St. Seiriol (6th century) took place in the town of Penmon in North Wales, located on the coast of Menai Strait. The group of pilgrims from the parishes of the North of England Deanery was led by Priest Anatoly Vikhrov, Rector of the parishes of St. Xenia of Petersburg in Leeds, of the Meeting of the Lord in Bradford, of St.St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena in York, and of the Nativity of Christ in Kingston upon Hull. The pilgrimage was also attended by parishioners and clergy of the churches of the diocesan district of Wales - Dean Archimandrite Deiniol (Davies) and priest Lazarus Jones. The spring is located on the island of Anglesey (in Welsh - Ynys Môn) off the northwest coast of Wales. The first Christian hermits appeared on Anglesey in the 5th century. Orthodox monasticism flourished on the island for several centuries, until the devastating Viking raids in the 9th century - during that time, many holy saints lived here. This is evidenced by the surviving ancient churches, ruins of monasteries and hermitages, crosses, holy springs and hermit cells. In Penmon Abbey, founded by Venerable Seiriol in the southeast part of the island of Anglesey in the 6th century, a holy spring has survived to this day, where baptisms were performed for centuries; the water was also used for the needs of the monastery.  There are modern testimonies of miraculous healings in our days.

Upon arrival at the place of pilgrimage to Penmon Abbey, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the monastery church of St. Seiriol, erected in 1123 on the site of a wooden church built in the 6th century. The service was held in three languages: Church Slavonic, English and Welsh. Liturgical chants were performed by singers from the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in Manchester and the Church of All Welsh Saints in Blaenai Fistiniog.

After the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Deiniol told the pilgrims about the exploits of the holy saint of the undivided Church, who founded a monastic community here, which flourished on the island until its destruction by the Vikings in 971.

Then there was a religious procession to the spring of St. Seiriol where a water blessing service was held.

After the service, the pilgrims and clergy shared a common meal in a picturesque place by the sea, not far from the abbey.

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