The monks of Belmont Abbey travelled to Tintern on Sunday to lead the annual service of Vespers which was attended by Anglican and Catholic bishops, monks, nuns, priests and a congregation of 200 people from local churches who came carrying umbrellas for the open air act of worship. The annual service is organised by the Friends of Our Lady of Tintern and commemorates the birthday of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

In his sermon the Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, the Most Revd Mark O'Toole said it was almost as if the monks of Tintern who left the Abbey five hundred years ago were sitting on the shoulders of the monks from Belmont as the sound of monastic chanting was heard once again.

As the Abbey is undergoing major restoration works it was not possible to use the church so the service took place in the grounds and although thunderstorms had been predicted the rain soon stopped.

Father Paul Stonham, the former Abbot of Belmont read from the Rule of St Benedict and the Anglican Bishop of Monmouth, the Rt Revd Cherry Vann said the prayer to honour the statue of Our Lady of Tintern.

Bishop Dominic Walker, who chairs the Friends said their aim is to ensure that Tintern Abbey is not just a ruin and tourist attraction but remains a place where people can still find and worship God.