Mar 15, 2009
During the Middle Ages in Gwent, as all over Britain, the wounds of Christ were a subject of intense devotion. By the time of the 6th Century and St David, when the Saint at Llandewi Brefi bravely refuted thhe heresies of Pelagius, reports tell us that he preached before five large candles, representative of all the wounds of Christ.
The Wesleyan hymn ;Lo he comes with Clouds Descending, mentions the scars which have captured the imagination of many Christians.
Every Eye shall now behold him
Robed in dreadful majesty
Thouse who set at naught and sold hi,
pierced and nailed him to a tree....
Those dear tokens of his Passion
Still his dazzling body bears
cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshippers
with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!!
I hope you find this beautiful devotion uplifting for the season of Lent. It loosely uses the prayers from the St Anthony Prayerbook, but I have adapted them slightly.