Bishop Maximos of Melitene led annual pilgrimage to St. Winefride in Wales

Bishop Maximos of Melitene presided over the Divine Liturgy and the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. Winefride in Holywell, North Wales, on Saturday, October 3.

Concelebrating were Archimandrite Philip Hall of the Patriarchate of Antioch, Protopresbyter Pancratios Sanders, Fathers John Petkov and Panteleimon Maxfield, as well as priests representing the Patriarchates of Georgia and Romania.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the historic shrine church built above St. Winefride’s well. The Gothic structure dates to the late 15th century and is traditionally associated with Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII of England. The shrine is regarded as one of Britain’s oldest continuously visited pilgrimage sites.

St. Winefride lived in North Wales in the seventh century and, according to tradition, was beheaded after rejecting the advances of Caradoc, the son of a local ruler. A spring is said to have appeared at the place where her head fell, while her uncle, St. Beuno, restored her to life through prayer. Winefride later became a nun and eventually abbess at Gwytherin.

In his homily, Bishop Maximos reflected on the saint’s unwavering dedication to Christ,…