Includes video of Service
Sunday 1st March. For the ringers it was perhaps just normal ringing before the 11am bilingual Eucharist. Whereas, across Wales and at Llandaff Cathedral, it was a significant day with church services, city marches, daffodils aplenty and children proudly wearing national costume.
The service also marked the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Welsh Regiment in 2006 with a history dating back to 1689. The regimental chapel is very much a part of Llandaff Cathedral with the colours from over 3 centuries of battles worldwide laid up. The regimental goat “Taffy” was brought to the earlier children’s service where it was much admired and petted.
The regimental colours were paraded, the Commanding Officer of the 3rd battalion and 100 uniformed soldiers attended and the 24-strong regimental band played before, during and after the service.
The service was a normal Sunday Eucharist, with Welsh and English used in equal balance. It is fascinating to hear the Confession, the Thanksgiving, the Lord’s Prayer and the Dismissal spoken by the congregation in unison of 2 languages, side by side. The collect was read in Welsh and the hymns had some verses sung in Welsh and others in English.
But the big difference this morning was the music played by the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh to complement the cathedral choir and organ. The music before the service was an eclectic mix of Crimond, Dafydd y Garreg Wen, and the Ballad from Day of the Dragons. During the communion the band played Rhosymedre by Vaughan Williams, the Post Communion Hymn was Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer to the tune of Cwm Rhondda and after the service the congregation listened to The War March of the Men of Glamorgan and then to Men of Harlech.
If you wish to hear the service and the music it is on YouTube at Sung Eucharist for St David's Day 2026 (see below!).
Unfortunately, none of the ringing or the processional music was recorded. If you have never been to a bilingual Cathedral service then just watch from the beginning. Otherwise, if you want to hear the regimental band playing some of their really special bits then please skip to:
00:51 Rhosymedre
01.04 Great Redeemer
01:08 End of Service Music
