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Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Home Newsfeed Bishop Dorrien's Easter message

Bishop Dorrien's Easter message

St Davids news Posted: 2 April 2026

Easter Letter from the Bishop of St Davids (PDF)
Good Friday Video Message from the Bishop of St Davids
Easter Sunday Video Message from the Bishop of St Davids

To the Clergy and People of the Diocese

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Once again, we gather as the people of God to celebrate the mystery and joy of Easter—the triumph of life, hope, and love over all that diminishes, wounds, or destroys. The empty tomb proclaims that God’s love is stronger than death (John 20:1–18), and that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5). In the risen Christ we encounter the promise of a new creation, for “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

At a time when the world is marked by conflict, division, and fear, the Resurrection speaks into our lives with a word of peace. The first greeting of the risen Jesus to his disciples—“Peace be with you”—is as necessary now as it was then. This is no passive comfort, but a peace that sends us out: a peace shaped by reconciling love, courageous compassion, and a commitment to healing the wounds of our age.

Rowan Williams reminds us that “The Church exists to connect people at the level of their hunger for a new world.” This hunger—for justice, renewal, mercy, and hope—is precisely what the Resurrection awakens within us. The late Pope Francis echoed this when he said that “We proclaim the resurrection of Christ when his light illuminates the dark moments of our existence.” Easter is not only an event of history—it is a living, transforming reality that we are called to bear into the world.

This calling lies at the heart of our diocesan vision: Open to God / Agored i Dduw. To be open to God is to welcome the risen Christ into our hearts and our common life; to allow him to reshape us, guide us, and send us out. It means being open to surprise—as the disciples were at the empty tomb; open to transformation—as Thomas was when he touched Christ’s wounds; and open to mission—as the first Christians were when they carried the gospel into a troubled world.

These great themes of Easter—hope, peace, openness, and transforming love—continue to shape our diocesan life:

Renewing our worship and prayer: Encouraging joyful, prayerful, Spirit-filled communities where Christ is encountered afresh.
Strengthening our communities: Building places of belonging, compassion, and welcome where loneliness and fear are met with love.
Encouraging confident discipleship: Forming people of faith who can speak of Christ with humility, integrity, and joy.
Inspiring compassionate service: Serving those in need, caring for the vulnerable, and honouring creation.
Deepening our shared calling: Supporting one another across parishes and ministry areas, sharing gifts generously.
Renewing our outward mission: Proclaiming the gospel with creativity, courage, and hope in a world longing for good news.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our clergy, to our retired clergy who continue to serve so faithfully, to our lay readers, and to our worship leaders across the diocese. Your ministry—seen and unseen, celebrated and unheralded—is a living sign of Easter hope.

Through preaching, pastoral care, worship, prayer, community service, and faithful presence, you keep the light of Christ burning in every parish and community. Your generosity, compassion, and sacrificial dedication sustain the life of this diocese.

Thank you. You are a blessing to us all.

I am equally grateful to all lay people whose love, labour, and quiet acts of kindness make the message of Easter visible every day. My prayer is that the joy of the Resurrection will renew your spirit; that the peace of Christ will guard your hearts; and that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we may continue together to witness boldly to God’s transforming love in this diocese and beyond.

May the risen Christ bless you and those you love.

Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed.

The Right Reverend Dorrien Davies
Bishop of St Davids and Dean of the Chapel Royal in Wales