Cross of Wales to lead Bangor's 1,500 year celebrations

The Cross of Wales, which played a central role in King Charles III's Coronation, will be officially received at Bangor Cathedral during the launch of a year of celebrations marking the 1,500th anniversary of Wales' oldest city.

The specially-commissioned processional cross, containing a relic of the True Cross gifted to King Charles by Pope Francis, will be received at St Deiniol's Cathedral, Bangor, during a bilingual Eucharist service on Sunday 1 December. The service will be led by the Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, with the address given by the Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard. The Cross will be formally received on the Cathedral's behalf by the Bishop of Bardsey, David Morris, and Canon Tracy Jones. The service is open to everyone.

The Cross of Wales was presented as a centenary gift to the Church in Wales by King Charles and led the Coronation procession at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. It was officially presented to the Archbishop of Wales, on behalf of the Church in Wales, by Professor Charles Mackworth-Young, Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, which led the design and production process, at a ceremony in London on 25 January.

Following its installation at Bangor Cathedral, the Cross will embark on a tour of Welsh cathedrals, ensuring people across Wales have the opportunity to view this significant piece of religious and cultural heritage. The Cross will be shared between the Anglican and Catholic Churches in Wales.

The service marks the beginning of a year-long celebration commemorating 1,500 years since St Deiniol founded a monastery – known as a clas – in 525AD in a secluded valley in North West Wales. This settlement would eventually grow to become the cathedral and city of Bangor.

The service will include a moment for reflection and unity as the city prepares for a year of celebration.

The Cathedral's anniversary programme includes several notable events throughout 2025, including:

• A live broadcast of BBC Radio 4's Sunday Worship.
• An historic reunion concert by Welsh language Christian rock band Yr Atgyfodiad.
• The launch of New Welsh Church Music CD recorded by Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral Choir.
• The installation of a new icon of Saint Deiniol.

The city's celebrations will continue with spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks display over Bangor's historic pier. Bangor City Council has also begun planting 18,000 daffodils - one for each month since the city's foundation in 525 AD - which will bloom in time for St David's Day. Local schoolchildren will also mark the occasion by burying time capsules beneath a commemorative tree later in 2025.

The Bishop of Bardsey David Morris says, “This service marks the beginning of a momentous year for us. This will be an opportunity to give thanks for 1,500 years of faith and witness, and to do so with the formal reception of the Cross of Wales is hugely significant.

“The fragment of the true cross contained within it is believed to have come from the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, nearly 500 years prior to St Deiniol’s ministry in North Wales, and it was the death of Jesus and his resurrection on which Deiniol’s faith rested and that motivated him to share the good news to his generation.

“We will be giving thanks for this inheritance of faith which has inspired countless generations and which gives the Cathedral its life today at the heart of the city of Bangor, standing as a beacon of light and hope to all."

Designed and made by master silversmith Michael Lloyd, in consultation with the Royal Collection, the Cross of Wales is crafted from recycled silver bullion, provided by the Royal Mint at Llantrisant, a shaft of Welsh windfall timber and a stand of Welsh slate. Words from the last sermon of St David are chased on the back of the Cross in Welsh: “Byddwch lawen. Cadwch y ffydd. Gwnewch y Pethau Bychain”, which translates as: “Be joyful. Keep the faith. Do the little things.”

For more information about viewing times and the full programme of Bangor 1500 events, visit the Cathedral's website.