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Dictionary

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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’).

Ecumenical

The Christian Church is divided due to different interpretations of the faith and different religious practices. The ecumenical movement promotes dialogue and understanding between Christians and works for visible unity.

Home Pobl Dewi: March 2025 Much to celebrate

Much to celebrate

2025 is a year of anniversaries in St Davids Cathedral, as Mari James, Cathedral Library Development Officer, explains

Over our 1500 years there is always an anniversary in our Cathedral every year. But 2025 sees a wealth of them, and one special “first”.

Apel Heddwch Peace Appeal 1925 cover [CathLib]

In 1925 there was a series of peace appeals across Wales, including a Peace Appeal / Apel Heddwch from “leaders of religious bodies in Wales to the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America.” The first signature of the 22 was from the Bishop of St Davids, the Rt Rev John Owen. Bishop Owen was President of the Welsh National Council of the League of Nations. The beautifully crafted original, Gregynog-designed letter, will be on display in the Cathedral during June 2025.

Apel Heddwch Peace Appeal 1925 St Davids signature

Another of Bishop John Owen’s ecumenical peace initiatives resulted in a historic visit to St Davids Cathedral in 1925, 100 years ago, by a group of Orthodox Patriarchs. This was partly a celebration of the Council of Nicaea which met in 325. We will mark Bishop Owen’s 1600th anniversary celebration of Nicaea by commemorating 1700 years since that important meeting which produced the Nicaean creed, still used in services today. A special service will be held in the Cathedral at the end of September with a display of photographs of the 1925 visit.

We will also mark 150 years since the death in 1875 of Bishop Connop Thirlwall. The author of an eight- volume History of Greece (available in the Cathedral Library), he also oversaw the substantial restoration of the Cathedral after the dilapidation of the Reformation and “Great Rebellion”. There will be a session on the life and work of Connop Thirlwall during Libraries Week in October.

The “first” that we will mark this year is to host a conference of the Cathedrals Archives, Libraries and Collections Association (CALCA). This covers Cathedrals across Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. We will be welcoming participants from all of them to Tyddewi! The conference takes place from Tuesday June 17th to Thursday 19th. Non-CALCA members from across our diocese are welcome to join sessions on early Bibles in Welsh; an early Bible in Irish; Gerald of Wales; medieval and later croziers and much more. Please email to CALCAconference@StDavidsCathedral.org.uk for information.