St Ffraid’s Church, Trearddur Bay – flower display in St. Ffraid’s Church in Trearddur Bay, to offer thanks for all those who signed up to try and bring a quick end to the conflict. The commemoration will start at 10.30 am on Friday and continue on the Saturday and the Monday, the 1st, 2nd and 4th of August and will close at 4.00 pm. each day. Sunday the 3rd, the church will be open from 2 pm to 4 pm. Light refreshments will be available in the church hall on the three full days of the commemoration.
There will be a service of memorial in church at 7.00 pm on Friday, the 2nd of August, when there will be a sharing of prayers, readings and hymns all in keeping with this special event. All are welcome to join us on any of the above days.
Bangor Cathedral is holding a series of special services on 3rd, 4th and 6th August for the local community, diocese and the Cathedral’s many visitors to commemorate the centenary of the declaration of the First World War.
On Sunday, 3 August at 11 am there is a bilingual service of commemoration and reflection in the Cathedral, attended by the Mayor of Bangor and representatives of the British Legion. This is followed by an act of remembrance at the War Memorial in Deiniol Road.
On Monday, 4 August at 11 pm in the evening, the moment when war was declared is marked by a processional service through the Cathedral. This not only follows the journey from the War Memorial in the Cathedral to the high altar (the symbolic place of sacrifice), but also the life and suffering of Jesus Christ from Lady Chapel to the Cross.
In 1914 churches opened their doors for prayers at the beginning of the war. There were huge congregations. On Wednesday, 6 August, at 1.15 pm, there will be a lunchtime service of prayer, using the resources prepared at that time and used on that day in 1914.
Wednesday 6 August is also the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Eucharist for the feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated in the Cathedral at 5.30 pm. Again the life of Christ and the human destruction caused by war will be parallel themes.
Holyhead Remembers
Field of Remembrance in St Cybi’s Churchyard to be dedicated by Bishop of Bangor
During the month of August St Cybi’s Church in Holyhead will be holding a series of commemorative events, starting on Saturday 2nd August with the Dedication of a Field of Remembrance by The Right Reverend Andrew John, Bishop of Bangor, at 11.00 am at St Cybi’s Church.
The Bishop will be joined during the service by representatives of the Holyhead Branch of the Royal British Legion and other local dignitaries. The service will provide an opportunity for anyone who wishes to place a wooden cross in memory of those who were involved in the War.
Also throughout the day St Cybi’s Church will remain open and a Book of Remembrance listing details of all those from Holyhead who sacrificed their lives for their country will be available for inspection.
On Monday 4th August, the actual anniversary date, there will be a short Service of Commemoration at the Cenotaph in Holyhead, commencing at 11.00 am.
In the evening of 4th August, from 10.00 pm to 11.00 pm, there will be a Vigil in St Cybi’s Church as part of the Royal British Legion’s “Lights Out”. On the eve of Britain officially entering the War Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, said “The Lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime”. The Legion is encouraging everyone to turn off their lights during this hour and hopes to light a million candles across the United Kingdom to remember all those Service men and women who gave their lives.
The Vigil is St Cybi’s contribution to this initiative when it is hoped there will be a time of quiet reflection allowing those present to create a Cross of Light in the sanctuary of the church.
Later in the month, on Wednesday 20th August Loose Cannons will give a performance of The Last Visitor, followed by Brody’r Magee Brothers singing, all starting at 7.00 pm in St Cybi’s Church. Entry will be free.
20th August also sees the start of St Cybi’s Flower Festival, which runs until Monday 25th August with the theme “We Will Remember Them”.
A century after the event it is easy to overlook how strategically important Holyhead was during World War I and how many local people lost their lives both on land and at sea.
Holyhead Maritime Museum has just published a Commemorative second edition of R E Roberts ‘Holyhead and the Great War’, written in 1920. In his Preface to the book R E Roberts says “In proportion to its population no part of the Principality, or, indeed, of the British Isles, responded more nobly to the clarion call of patriotism than Holyhead, and no town suffered more in the loss of its gallant men”.
