41. PULPIT (AMBO)

Unusually, this Cathedral contains a pulpit, and one which is delightfully carved. It was designed by Peter Paul Pugin and was recovered from the Church of Our Lady and St Edmund in Great Malvern in 2007. The dedication reads: ‘In memory of Archbishop Scarisbrick O.S.B, May 7 1908. RIP’. William Scarisbrick was Bishop of Port Louis, Mauritius, and was made Archbishop on his retirement in 1888. Nearby stands a paschal candle – a symbol that Christ is the light of the world.     PLAN

42. PULPIT DETAILS

These more detailed views of the pulpit show decorated niches, and at the corners, angels in prayer. It is from the pulpit that the Christian message is proclaimed Sunday by Sunday.

43. BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL ALTAR

We return to take a closer look at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The altar was endowed by Mgr. Edward Slaughter in 1907.

44. CHAPEL CEILING

The Chapel ceiling is like the ceiling of the nave, only on a smaller scale. A ‘sanctuary lamp’ hangs from the ceiling, showing the presence of the Elements of the Eucharist.

45. CHAPEL ALTAR

The altar and surrounding area contain an abundance of candles! Standing at the centre of the altar is a veiled tabernacle, and behind, the crucifix. The tabernacle contains the blessed Elements of the Eucharist.

46. ALTAR CRUCIFIX

The alternate crucifix is quite dramatic with the golden figure of Christ placed on a black cross.

47. ALTAR DETAIL

There are three panels across the face of the altar. At centre is the Eucharistic cup and wafer, and on either side an angel carrying a banner.

48. NAVE ALTAR

Leaving the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, we move to the centre front of the nave. The nave altar is a very simple affair, with the frontal depicting the Christian symbols of cross and fish.

49. TO THE LADY CHAPEL

South of the nave is a draped cross, and beyond that we catch a glimpse of the Lady Chapel.

50. DRAPED CROSS

A draped cross is often found in churches and cathedrals around Easter time. This cross is particularly attractive with its depiction of the Risen Christ.

51. LADY CHAPEL, PIETÀ

The Lady Chapel is of unusual layout. The centerpiece is an altar bearing a wooden copy of the Pietà depicting Mary holding the body of her crucified Son. The carving was created in Italy for the then Pro-Cathedral in 1957. The door at extreme right leads through to the South nave aisle, and there are some other items of interest in the far corner.        PLAN

52. INFORMATION BOARD

Near the end of the altar is a round information plaque. This tells about the Pietà and also about the icon of St Richard Gwyn found in the far corner.

53. ST GWYN ICON, RELIC

This large icon celebrates the life and death of St Richard Gwyn (c1535 to 1584). He was a martyr, and the scenes of his martyrdom are depicted. Richard Gwyn was a schoolmaster, husband and father who was executed in the Beast Market Wrexham for his allegiance to the old faith. The icon was painted for the millenium celebration by Sister Petra Clare of Scotland, and consecrated by Bishop Edwin Regan on 15 October 2000, the anniversary of the saint’s martyrdom. To the right is a relic of the Saint (a piece of an arm bone) mounted in a replica of the triple gallows or ‘Tyburn Tree’ which has itself become a symbol of the martyrs of the recusant times (1535 to 1680). The relic was the gift of the Jesuits at Manresa College, Rockhampton in 1952.

54. EAST END OF LADY CHAPEL

It is clear that the area was not originally designed to be a chapel! At the East end of the chapel is another icon.

55. LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA

This is a copy of the famous icon of Our Lady which came to Jasna Gora in 1382. Ladislaus, Duke of Opole, had acquired it in Red Ruthenia, modern day Western Ukraine, where he had seen it at the castle of Belz. Its history before that is shrouded in mystery and speculation but when the Prince took a liking to the icon and wished to take it with him, it was already treated with great reverence and honoured as a priceless relic. The original icon is now found in Czestochowa, a city in Poland. This icon was presented by Polish children who took their first communion here in 2008 to 2010. Itis said that the original icon of the Black Madonna was painted by Luke the Evangelist while Mary told him the story of Jesus’ childhood.

56. CHAPEL WINDOW

This small window is behind the Pietà, and is located in an East-facing wall off to the South of the Lady Chapel. It was created by Pamel Bubb in 1981. It represents Chi-Rho (XP – the first two letters of Christ in Greek), and the chains that Richard Gwyn rattled when forced to sit through a sermon in the Parish Church of St Giles.

57. SANCTUARY

Behind the nave altar is the simple sanctuary. There is a pew on either side, the cathedra faces us, and above is an interesting rose window. But also, if we look up, we see the bottom tip of the easily-missed rood cross.       PLAN

58. ROOD CROSS

This is a very simple rood cross with just the figure of Christ hanging on the cross. Often there is a more extended scene with his mother Mary and the disciple John looking on.

59. CATHEDRA

Facing us from the East wall is the bishop’s throne or cathedra, flanked by two stools. The word ‘cathedra’ is Latin for seat or throne, and it is from this word that this church gains the title ‘cathedral’. Above the cathedra is the coat of arms of the present Bishop Peter Bignall, with text ‘Vivete et Vigelate in Deo’ – Live and be Vigilant in God’). This is a quotation from Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098 –1179). The throne was designed by F. Roberts in 1907.

60. EAST WINDOW

The beautiful rose window in the East wall has a central Pietà, surrounded by worshipping saints and angels. Clockwise from the top, St Winefride (Patron of Wales), St Thomas the Apostle, Archangel Michael, St Tudwal, Archangel Raphael, Archangel Uriel, St Keyna, Archangel Gabriel, St John the Evangelist, and St David (Patron of Wales, and of the Wrexham Diocese). Below are six small quatrefoil windows depicting the instruments of Christ’s torture. From left they are: bludgeons, whips, the crown of thorns, hammer, nails, pincers and spear, as well as the dice the soldiers played with, the sponge and the empty cross.