150th Anniversary of Monastic Life at Belmont

Ecumenical Vespers
27th May 2010

On 27th May the Community were honoured with the presence of friends from other Christian denominations so that it could celebrate with them 150 years of monastic life at Belmont. Guests included the Bishop of Hereford, Antony Priddis and The Bishop of Monmouth, Dominic Walker and Rev Archimandrite Iakovos from the Greek Orthodox Church, Cardiff.

The occasion was the feast of St Augustine, who in 597 arrived in England with a band of monks to bring the Gospel to the Anglo-Saxons. Augustine had been sent by Pope Gregory the Great who encountered Englishmen in a Roman marketplace, and from that moment had the English mission in his heart. As a founder of monastic life in this country, St Augustine is a special patron of the English Benedictine Congregation as well as the people of England.

Abbot Paul presided at the celebration and preached. The guests shared in a special festive meal in the monastic refectory at which there was good conversation and it made for a very relaxed and enjoyable evening.

Below are some photographs of the occasion. Abbot Paul's homily is posted separately.