Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Procession at the Shrine of St Winefride

On Saturday, 3 October 2026, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Shrine of the Holy Virgin-Martyr Winefride in Holywell, North Wales, on the occasion of the annual pilgrimage. His Grace Bishop Maximos of Melitene presided over the Divine Liturgy and the celebrations of the day.

Concelebrating with Bishop Maximos were the Very Revd Archimandrite Philip Hall of the Patriarchate of Antioch; the Revd Protopresbyter Pankratios Sanders; the Revd Presbyters Ioannis Petkov and Panteleimon Maxfield; the Revd Presbyter Georgios of the Patriarchate of Georgia; and the Revd Presbyter Radu of the Patriarchate of Romania. The Revd Deacons Ioannis and Ioannis served during the Divine Liturgy.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Shrine Church, which stands above the spring associated with St Winefride. The Gothic building dates from the late fifteenth century, and the construction is attributed to Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII of England. At the lower level, the spring flows into a star-shaped basin beneath a vaulted ceiling. The Shrine is regarded as the only place of pilgrimage in Britain to have continued receiving pilgrims without interruption…