Wells Cathedral Year of Prayer 2026
Make 2026 your year to explore prayer with a special series of events and activities at Wells Cathedral. Part of a Year of Prayer with the Diocese of Bath & Wells.
May
Self-guided pilgrimage available in the Cathedral throughout May
Follow a route which guides the pilgrim to explore the Cathedral as a place of prayer and journey, leading them deeper in faith while appreciating the beauty of the building.
10 May
Prayer and Music With The Rt Revd David Stancliffe
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
25 May
Guided Pilgrimage around the Cathedral with The Reverend Edward Day 2.30pm
26 May
Praying the Rosary
Led by Fr Tony from St Joseph and St Teresa RC Church, Wells. This is an opportunity to come together as Christians from different denominations, and pray the Rosary together, using the beads of the Rosary to guide and shape our prayer, and experiencing a style of prayer which has been part of Catholic Devotion for centuries.
31 May – 7 June
Week of Guided Prayer
Whether prayer feels familiar or fragile, steady or uncertain, a Week of Guided Prayer offers a gentle, supportive way to deepen your relationship with God in the midst of daily life.
From Monday 1 to Friday 5 June, each participant — known traditionally as a Pilgrim — meets for up to 45 minutes each day (at the same time) with a trained prayer accompanier. Together you reflect on your experience of prayer, explore ways of praying that may be new to you, and listen for how God may be speaking in the ordinary patterns of your days. Alongside these short conversations, Pilgrims commit to spending about half an hour in personal prayer daily. Also, as an optional extra during the week, pilgrims will be invited each morning after the Morning Liturgy to explore a different way of praying as we share and learn together.
This shared journey begins as we commission all participants during Evensong at 3pm on Sunday 31 May, gathering as a community to ask God’s blessing on the week ahead. We complete the journey together at the Cathedral Eucharist on Sunday 7 June at 10.30am, giving thanks for whatever has taken root, grown, or awakened within us.
You do not need any prior experience of retreats or spiritual direction — just a willingness to pause, listen, and be open to God’s presence. Many who have taken part in Weeks of Accompanied Prayer speak of renewed clarity, unexpected peace, or a fresh sense of God’s companionship in everyday life. We have a team of lay people, priests, monks and nuns coming to help lead us.
Cost: To cover our costs we will invite pilgrims to cover the costs of the week. Pilgrims are invited to make a voluntary contribution of between £70 and £200 (including a non-returnable £30 deposit to confirm your place), according to what they are able to offer. If the contribution would be difficult, limited bursary support may be available, as we hope this week will be open to all. Any contributions received above the cost of the week will help support bursaries and ongoing prayer ministry.
Book your place: To hold a place for the week please register your interest by emailing weekofprayer@wellscathedral.org.uk. Once you’ve heard back from us, we have agreed a set time slot, and we have your non-returnable deposit, you will be booked in.
June
21 June
Prayer and Poetry With Gavin Plumley
Sermon at Choral Evensong, 3.00pm
25 June
Forest Pilgrimage 1pm
An opportunity to explore our relationship with God as we journey through his creation.
July
5 July
Prayer and Pilgrimage With The Right Reverend Fiona Gibson
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
August
2 August
Prayer and Birdsong with the Revd Dr Alison Morgan
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
27 August, 12pm–3.30pm
Saint Decuman Pilgrimage
You are invited to gather at St Decuman’s Church and Holy Well in Watchet, Somerset. Decuman was a seventh-century Welsh saint and hermit who came to the well there. We shall gather at noon for a time of prayer and reflection, led by The Very Reverend Toby Wright, Dean of Wells. Please bring a picnic with you! We will finish by 3.30pm.
September
7 September
Prayer and Peace with the Right Reverend Christopher Chessun
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
October
4 October
Prayer and Art with the Revd Gill Sakakini
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October
Year of Prayer Retreat
As part of the Year of Prayer, the Dean will be leading a Retreat to the Sisters at Ty Mawr Convent in Wales from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October. This will give time for space and reflection together. If you might be interested there will be 6 spaces (possibly slightly more if a couple wish to come). The cost will be £150. For more information please speak to the Dean, or to book please email office@wellscathedral.org.uk.
November
1 November
Prayer and the Heart with Sr Gemma Simmonds
Sermon at the Cathedral Eucharist, 10.30am
Discover more…
x
Prayer is how we as Christians connect with God. Prayer takes many forms, from the formal and structured, to the informal and personal. When we pray, we speak with God, who hears us and takes our prayers to his heart. When we listen in prayer, we listen for God’s response, making prayer a two-way conversation between God and his people.
Like in any healthy relationship, prayer can be about giving thanks for what is good, saying sorry for what is wrong, and asking for guidance for what is still to come. Through prayer, our relationship with God builds, and we grow closer to him in our lives.
i What is prayer?
x
We pray because we long to grow our relationship with God. Without God, we are wholly responsible for ourselves and our own destiny, but with God, we know that he will guide and shape us to fulfil all that he longs for us to. We pray because through our prayer, we are drawn to God, and God to us, and we are no longer alone in the world, but living in the care of one who fully knows and understands us.
i Why do we pray?
x
Prayer takes many forms, and this Year of Prayer allows opportunity to hear about many of them. We might pray in silence, in song, through art, in our gardens, or in so many other ways that they can never be written down. The Church provides a corporate prayer which we all join in together, but where our relationship with God goes beyond that is all about our prayer, which is very personal. During this Year of Prayer, we hope to provide thoughtful reflection and resource, to enable those who are new to faith and those who are much further along the journey, to support all people in their prayer and in their faith.