« Orthodox pilgrimage to the spring of St. Martyr Winifred in Holywell »

On Sunday, September 7, 2025, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, believers from the parishes of the Northern England, Wales and London deaneries took part in the annual pilgrimage to the spring of the Holy Martyr Winifred of Trefynnon (+630) in Holywell, Wales.

After the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God in Manchester, which was celebrated by priest Anatoly Vikhrov, and a meal, the pilgrims headed to Holywell to the holy spring of Ffynnon Gwenfrewi (translated from Welsh as "spring of St. Winifred").

The pilgrimage was also attended by the Dean of the Diocesan District of Wales, Archimandrite Deinioll (Davies), and Priest Lazarus Jones.

Upon arrival, a water blessing moleben was held at the holy spring. After the service, the pilgrims venerated a piece of the holy relics of St. Martyr Winifred, which is kept in a reliquary in the nearby Catholic Church of the same name. Then the pilgrims immersed themselves in the waters of the holy spring, which fill a large ancient pool that has survived to this day after its reconstruction in the late 15th – early 16th centuries on the initiative of Margaret Beaufort, the mother of King Henry VII of England, the founder of the Tudor dynasty.

A fraternal meal was held at the end of the pilgrimage.

Martyr Saint Winifred (Winefride) of Gwytherin, Trefynnon, Wales (Winifred, Winefride, Gwenfrewi; + 630)

Commemorated on November 3/16.

A lady of noble birth who lived in the north of Wales in the seventh century was a niece and spiritual daughter of Saint Beuno. After his death she entered the monastery of Gwytherin, where she lived under the spiritual care of Saint Eleril. Son of a neighboring chieftain named Caradoc, overcome by carnal passion, pursued her and cut off her head with a sword. The place where her head fell became known as Trefynnon (Welsh) or Holywell (in English), which means "holy spring" - due to the appearance of a healing spring, the water from which benefits all who take it with faith.  Holywell remains a place of pilgrimage in England to this day.

According to the life history of the Saint, Winifred's uncle St Beuno resurrected her through prayer, after which she returned to the monastery in Gwytherin, where she eventually became abbess.

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