Parish Pilgrimage to St Winefride's well in Holywell - 26/05/2007
On the morning before Pentecost, a small group of parishioners and visitors met at the chapel of St Elisabeth for a Pannikhida, where we offered prayers and hymns for the repose of our departed loved ones, in the hope that God would show His mercy upon them and draw them to Himself.
Afterwards, we set off for the town of Holywell in North Wales where we were joined by more of our parish family and extended family to make pilgrimage to the holy well of St Winefride. At the generous hospitality of the custodian of the well, we shared lunch in the nave of the shrine church, before moving to the shrine shop and display, where we learnt more about the life of St Winefride.
We then moved to the well itself, which spring up on the site of the miraculous restoration to life of St Winefride after her beheading, by God's grace and at the hands of her uncle, St Beuno, at whose faith and intercession her head was restored to her. It was very moving indeed to learn of her faithfulness to God, even in the face of death. At the well, we sang Great Vespers of the Eve of Pentecost, and were sprinkled with water from the well. Some of the faithful drank of the water while others filled buckets and yet others bathed their feet in the pool which is fed by the well and which contains the very stone where St Winefride was beheaded.
The whole afternoon was spent in Christian love as we gathered in one place with one accord, as did the Apostles on the day of Pentecost so many years ago.
Holy Winefride, pray to God for us!