FOR the first time in 500 years, a Pwllheli church will hold a special service for pilgrims to a shrine in the town.

Mair Morwyn y Môr, or Our Lady of Pen Llyn, was an important pilgrimage site in the 15th century and, this Saturday, Father Huw Bryant of St Peter’s Church will hold the first service in five centuries to welcome visitors to the holy site.

A total of £130,000 has also been raised to help pay for urgently-needed repairs to the 130 year-old church.

Some of the money will go to towards providing a proper space to continue and build upon their work with the foodbank which is feeding over 500 families, couples and singles a year.

Father Huw Bryant said: “The building project has three strands to it, one is the heritage, the church itself is architecturally important, and the second strand is the rebuilding of a medieval shrine to Our Lady of Pen Llyn. We have the first service in 500 years for pilgrims to Mair Morwyn y Môr this Saturday.

“I don’t think many people are aware that Pwllheli was an important pilgrimage site.

"Hywel Rheinallt writes in the 15th century of hundreds of people coming on Mary’s feast day and talk of Pwllheli as ‘this Holy Fortress is Mary’s ground’.

“The third strand is, of course, the work of the foodbank. We desperately need proper storage, kitchen and toilet facilities, but also with the new development we will be hoping to extend what we are able to do in and for the community."

Read the full story in this week’s Arfon/Dwyfor edition of the Cambrian News