St Davids Cathedral on the western most peninsula in Wales might still be counting the cost of Storm Barra, but its Angel Trail will light the way this Christmas.
St Davids Cathedral Angel Trail – lighting the way this Advent
It was conceived last year in lockdown and brought joy and hope to hundreds of people who were able to experience it; and now, one year on, it is back, ready to lead people once more through this small cathedral city of only 1,800 people on a journey of hope this Advent.
The Angel Trail will launch on December 21 and this year local shops and businesses have joined in by filling their shop windows with angels of all shapes and sizes and gateposts and streetlights are festooned with lights too.
On the trail you meet each of the characters from the Nativity who reveal the story of the First Christmas, starting at the Education and Pilgrimage Centre, where visitors can decorate an angel to hang on a tree and pick up a lantern to help light the way.
A lantern-lit lane leads to Erw Dewi, the cathedral community garden and here you can contemplate the awaiting manger and make your own baby Jesus pebble to keep in your pocket.
Then it’s on to the Sub-Dean’s garden for the stable scene. At the corner of the Archdeaconry the shepherds congregate with their sheep. As the angels gather to sing their songs there’s even an opportunity for a photoshoot as you ‘wear’ a pair of wings!
The final step brings you to the candlelit St Davids Cathedral where you can glimpse the presence of angel wings once more as you make your way to the Nave crib and the Holy Family and take time to stop in awe and wonder and make your own prayer angel to leave at the altar steps.
The Angel Trail is just one part of St Davids’ programme of events and services for Advent which include music by the Welsh National Opera Orchestra, a scratch nativity, and a family treasure hunt through the Cathedral on Boxing Day.
You can find all the Cathedral’s events for Advent here.
