Church holds overnight vigil in response to refugee housing dispute
A church is holding an overnight vigil for "unity, strength, peace and hope" in response to a dispute over housing refugees.
A debate about using an old school site in Llantwit Major, in the Vale of Glamorgan, to house Ukrainian war refugees has brought interest from the far-right group, Patriotic Alternative.
As part of a concerted community response in favour of peace and welcome in the area, St Illtud’s Church is holding an overnight vigil on Friday (March 24). Open to everyone, of all faiths or none, the vigil will provide space for people to come together to think, pray and share food and activities. It will begin at 11.30pm and last until breakfast at 7am on Saturday.
The Vicar of St Illtud’s Church, Canon Edwin Counsell says, “Llantwit Major is a generous and welcoming community. This vigil places prayer and togetherness at the centre of our life, and my prayer is that we will invite God’s blessing and peace to our town.”
Each hour of the vigil will develop a theme around readings, reflections, prayer and music, remembering victims of war, oppression and hatred. At 3am there will be a ‘Punk Hour’, with videos and music remembering Rock Against racism in the late 1970s. There will be prayers such as the Rosary at 1.30am and 4.30am, alongside secular poetry and readings. St Mark’s Gospel will be livestreamed on Facebook from start to finish from 5am.
The vigil organisers are also encouraging people to bake Welsh Cakes which will be handed out in the town on Saturday morning as a symbol of local hospitality.
The school site has been out of commission for seven years and the refugee housing debate is part of a wider discussion for the long-term plan for the site. Fr Edwin says there is a feeling that the far-right group are “muscling in” on a local matter which will be debated at 11am on Saturday in the town square.
The overnight vigil is part of Llantwit 24 – Together in Kindness, a programme of community events in Llantwit Major.
