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Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Episcopal

‘Episcopal’ refers to the role or ministry of a bishop. So an episcopal church is one in which oversight is entrusted to a bishop. Like many others, the Church in Wales is an episcopal church.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Home News New Bishop of St Davids to be consecrated

New Bishop of St Davids to be consecrated

Provincial news Posted: 15 January 2024
Bishop Dorrien Davies

The new Bishop of St Davids will be consecrated at a special service this month.

Bishop Dorrien Davies will be anointed and receive the symbols of the office of a bishop, during his consecration on January 27.

The service follows his election in October as the 130th Bishop of St Davids, the diocese which covers the three West Wales counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

It will take place at St Deiniol’s Cathedral in Bangor as that is the seat of the current Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, who is also the Bishop of Bangor.

During the service, Bishop Dorrien will be anointed with holy oil and presented with the symbols of office: a bishop’s episcopal ring, a pectoral cross, a mitre, a Bible and a pastoral staff. A new music composition will be sung by the choir as the symbols are presented. Composed by the Cathedral music director, Joe Cooper, it is a setting of a sixteenth century Welsh poem by Dafydd Trefor about the consecration of Deiniol, the first Bishop of Bangor.

The consecration service will be led by the Archbishop with the other Welsh diocesan bishops and attended by 300 guests representing churches and civic institutions across Wales. Bishops from the other Anglican churches in the UK - the Church of England, the Church of Ireland and the Scottish Episcopal Church – will also be present.

Dorrien is a very experienced priest and has won the hearts of those he has served over the years

The service starts at 2pm and will be live-streamed on the Cathedral’s Youtube channel - for everyone to join in.

Archbishop Andrew, who will also give the address, says, “I am delighted to consecrate Dorrien, with colleagues, and invest in him the symbols of his office as bishop. Dorrien is a very experienced priest and has won the hearts of those he has served over the years. I am sure we will all hold him in our prayers as he begins this new chapter in his ministry.”

Bishop Dorrien says, “As I approach my consecration I do now with great humility. To be elected the 130th Bishop of St Davids is an honour and a challenge. I look forward to the future, thankful for the prayers, help and support of a great many people. However, the reassurance of God’s guiding love and grace is with me, with hope and joy. I ask for people’s continual prayer as I begin this new chapter in my ministry.”

Following his consecration, Bishop Dorrien will be enthroned Bishop of St Davids at St Davids Cathedral on February 3. He will be installed in the Bishop’s chair and also welcomed by representatives from across St Davids Diocese.