Celebrations are taking place this year to mark the 1450^th anniversary of the Welsh saint, Asaph, as Bishop and namesake to the city and diocese.

Asaph is believed to have been consecrated as the second Bishop of the diocese now called St Asaph, after the first Bishop, Kentigern, returned to Scotland in 573 AD.

The anniversary will be celebrated on Saturday (29 April) with a special feast day service at St Asaph Cathedral led by the current and 78th Bishop, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron. The preacher at the service will be the Dean of Liverpool Cathedral, the Very Revd Dr Sue Jones.

Bishop Gregory has designated 2023 a year of jubilee for church and congregations across the diocese, encouraging people to seek rest and refreshment in pastimes and hobbies which bring them peace and restoration. He said: “Everyone attending the service will receive a special token to mark the Year of Jubilee and 1450^th anniversary. It will act as a reminder to take time to pause and reflect.

“After all the difficulties and challenges of recent years, and the challenges which are yet to come, we need a time to take a deep breath, and re-centre ourselves on God.  2023 is a year of liberty – not in which to abandon the tasks ahead of us, and to sit back and relax, but to find space to concentrate on those things which are the most important and the most life-giving.”

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Bishop Gregory, an artist, calligrapher and coin designer, created a new flag for the city of St Asaph. The flag incorporates the keys of the Diocese of St Asaph on a black background, which is typical for a Celtic nation flag, with two gold strips representing the team colours of St Asaph Football Club.

During the service, three new members will be admitted to the Order of St Asaph, which celebrates outstanding and distinctive contributions made by leading lay members of the diocesan family. Those receiving the order this year are:

• Beryl Griffith, former President of Mothers’ Union in the diocese
• Diane McCarthy, former Diocesan Secretary
• John Smout who has worked tirelessly as a member of the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee)

The service will also include a thank you to all priests celebrating a significant anniversary this year. This includes the first woman to be ordained as deacon in the Church in Wales, the Revd Margaret Harvey, who will celebrate 55 years as deacon. In addition, the diocesan chaplain to the Mothers’ Union and former Archdeacon of Montgomery, the Venerable John Thelwall, is celebrating 50 years since being ordained a deacon.

All are welcome to attend the Feast of St Asaph service which starts at 11am in St Asaph Cathedral on Saturday 29 April.

The Diocese of St Asaph is one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, an autonomous province of the worldwide Anglican Communion of Churches.