WORSHIPPERS gathered in St Davids today (Sunday, Apr 13) for a special Palm Sunday service at St Davids Cathedral, marking the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar.

Clergy in traditional robes processed through the Cathedral grounds carrying palm fronds, symbolising the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when crowds laid palm branches in His path.

The annual procession, steeped in tradition, is a moving visual display of faith and community. Members of the cathedral chapter and congregation followed in reverence, before taking part in the liturgy inside the cathedral.

Palm Sunday marks the start of the most solemn week in the Church year, leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Services throughout Holy Week will reflect on the Passion of Christ and culminate in the celebration of His resurrection.

A spokesperson for the cathedral said the service was well attended and expressed gratitude for the continued support of the local and visiting worshipping community.

Photo: Palm procession: Clergy at St Davids Cathedral mark Palm Sunday (Pic: Herald).

MAGICAL madrigal memories will linger long after Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir hosted a visiting youth choir from the United States at Pembroke Town Hall on Monday (April 7).

The 50-strong Mountain View High School Madrigals from California — aged 14 to 18 — wowed the audience with their exquisite close harmonies, delivering an unaccompanied performance from their wide-ranging repertoire.

In a touching tribute to their hosts, the young American singers performed a note-perfect rendition of the Welsh classic Myfanwy, before joining the Pembroke choristers in a moving version of Calon Lân.

The local choir, under the baton of Musical Director Juliet Rossiter, responded with a trio of songs: African Prayer, World in Union, and, fittingly, Elvis Presley’s American Trilogy. Accompanist for the evening was Rev William Lambert, with Matthew John acting as MC.

Pembroke’s Town Crier, Gareth Jones, welcomed the visitors with his trademark booming voice, and the Mayor of Pembroke, Councillor Ann Mortesen, presented a town crest to the visiting choir’s musical director, Jill Kenny. Choir chairman Huw Morgan also presented a commemorative plaque, noting that in the choir’s 72-year history, this was believed to be the first joint performance with an American choir.

Earlier in the day, the Mountain View Madrigals had toured Pembroke Castle before travelling to St Davids, where they gave a performance in the Cathedral. The group spent two nights in Pembrokeshire, staying at a hotel in Tenby.

Thanks were extended to Choir Secretary Dave Powell, Gareth Morgan, and the Pembroke Town Hall team for their efforts in organising the memorable visit.

AN APPEAL against a national park refusal of decking at a Pembrokeshire seaside village pub, installed for safety reasons after a child had near miss with a vehicle, has been launched.

Last year, Kath Lunn, of the Hibernia Inn, Angle, sought retrospective planning permission from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to keep wooden decking installed at the front of the pub that April.

The application was submitted after national park enforcement investigation.

The proposal – in the village’s conservation area – was supported by Angle Community Council, and two letters in support of the scheme, on highway safety grounds, were also received.

Kath Lunn, in her application said the decking was erected following a near miss with a child on the adjoining road earlier this year.

“There has always been bench seating there with umbrellas, but earlier this season there was a very close miss when a diner’s child ran into the road and was almost knocked down. We felt it our duty of care to the customers to make the area safe.

“We considered a brick wall but thought this decking would be more aesthetically pleasing being made of natural wood. We did extend out a little further than we wanted to, to avoid cars parking and causing an obstruction in the roadway as we have experienced this in the past.”

Concerns were raised about the design by the park’s building conservation officer, who said: “The works clearly neither preserve the character or appearance of the conservation area, especially the latter.

“I am aware of the problems facing village pubs and the need to provide improved facilities – and the pub is clearly vital to the community.

“There is potential here for an alternative scheme whereby the front garden is enclosed by a traditional wall and the tables and chairs provided within a nicely landscaped frontage. That would be a gain from the original open tarmac area and hopefully would provide a viable option.”

An officer report for park planners recommended refusal on the grounds of the impact it would have on Angle’s Conservation Area.

It added: “The applicant has stated that the new decking would create a safer area for patrons, due to the front seating area being in close proximity to the highway.  This application has been submitted as a result of investigations being carried out by the authority’s enforcement investigation section.”

While the conservation officer’s alternatives were noted, “the current application is a refusal due to the impact on the Conservation Area,” adding: “It is considered by officers that the retrospective development appears as a bulky adjunct when viewed from the highway and stands out as a discordant element within the village, at odds with the prevailing character and appearance of the street scene and neighbouring listed buildings, which form an important part of the setting.”

A report before the April 9 meeting of the national park’s development management committee, said that initial appeal documentation has been forwarded to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).

The appeal will be considered at a later date.