Two students from a school in Bristol were fatally stabbed last month – and the one person many journalists sought out for comment was a Baptist minister. Not because he knew them, but because he heads the academy trust that their school belongs to – along with 53 other schools across the country.Today's guest is Steve Chalke – activist and writer, broadcaster and social entrepreneur – founded the Oasis Trust nearly 40 years ago. Today it links churches and other community groups in challenging injustice and inequality. Its initiatives range from the big schools network to specialist neighbourhood debt advice, job training, mental health drop-ins for children and young people, and much more. It also works internationally in housing and education and healthcare.Steve Chalke has never shied away from controversy, not least among the evangelical Christians who nurtured him – he’s been outspoken in his defence of minority groups and some traditional ways of understandings the Bible.

It’s coming up to two years since Russia’s so-called ‘special operation’ against Ukraine led to one of the biggest conflicts on European soil since the end of WW2. Shocking as that was, it’s been followed by yet more global insecurity. In the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues; meanwhile, some commentators look nervously at China’s threatening position towards Taiwan. At home in Britain there have been dire warnings that we are living in a ‘pre-war era’; and further afield, the Doomsday Clock has been set to merely 90 seconds before midnight and a nuclear holocaust.For people of faith, making sense of the human propensity for violence has always been challenging. How can we justify pacificism in the face of evil? And contrariwise, how can we justify warfare when we claim to follow the command of Christ to love our enemies? And what does horrendous warfare do to your faith in God and in humanity?Rosa Hunt talks to four people who have had to think through some of these issues in great depth. In Lviv, Ukraine, Rev. Roman Zaviysky, who’s dean of the faculty of theology at the Catholic University; In Princetown, Ukrainian theologian Pavlo Smytsnyuk reflects on how life has changed over the last two years. In Israel Elena Volkova – originally from Russia and now an independent scholar after leaving her mother country - offers her perspective. And in Aldershot, retired soldier and lay minister Major General Tim Cross, who served during the Cold War and during peace keeping operations in the Balkans, offers his perspective.

Azim Ahmed visits one of Wales' most fascinating religious communities, now celebrating 50 years since it was founded in a peaceful corner of Carmarthenshire, near the village of Llanpumpsaint. This monastery and temple complex is devoted to worship and to service to both animal and human lives. Boasting no fewer than three elephants, the Community of the Many Names of God was established back in 1973 by a former Sri Lankan florist based in London, Guru Sri Subramanium. The Guru came to Wales guided by a vision. From unpromising beginnings - he had spotted a derelict farm for sale in the small ads of the Farmers Weekly magazine - the Guru built up a temple complex that is nowadays home to some twenty permanent members, and many more lay people and devotees. Still guided by the late Guru's vision, Skanda Vale attracts many thousands of worshippers annually, and is home not only to a human community - it is also home to numerous animals, including no fewer than three elephants! https://www.skandavale.org/

This weekend the Right Reverend Dorrien Davies has been enthroned as the 130th Bishop of St Davids in a cathedral which is the mother church of a large diocese covering the west Wales counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. It’s a part of Wales that Bishop Dorrien knows well – having studied at Lampeter, served as a curate in Llanelli and subsequently as parish priest in Llanfihangel Ystrad Aeron and at St Dogmaels before being made a Residentiary Canon at St Davids Cathedral in 2010. Five years ago he was appointed to a senior role as Archdeacon of Carmarthen; he’s well-known and popular in the diocese. He succeeds the Rt Revd Joanna Penberthy who retired last year following a lengthy period of sick leave. Her time in office wasn’t without controversy following a tweet for which she subsequently apologised in which she said “Never, never, never trust a Tory.” Bishop Dorrien was born and brought up in Abergwili near Carmarthen which is also where Llys Esgob – the Bishop’s Palace – is situated. That’s where Jonathan Thomas recorded a conversation earlier this week, covering a wide-range of topics and issues including climate change, historic churches, the management of differing opinions over same-sex blessings and the role of the Church in an election year. He also recalls growing up in the shadow of the Bishop's Palace in Abergwili, and his consecration service as a bishop in Bangor Cathedral last weekend.

In light of the discovery of a rare medieval cemetery in the Vale of Glamorgan, Azim Ahmed explores funerary customs today. Dr Andy Seaman, a specialist in early medieval archaeology from the University of Cardiff, shares his findings on location at the archaeological dig site near Fonmore Castle. While graveyards might be seen as quiet reflective places today, Andy explains that in the medieval period they were often central to life and where communities might meet to undertake business, meetings and even feasting. Dr Marianne Rozario from the Christian think tank Theos shares the conclusions from their recent report ‘Ashes to Ashes: Beliefs, Trends and Practices in dying, death and the Afterlife.’ Key findings are a growing trend towards cremation rather than burial in the UK and a rise of “celebrations of life” over traditional funerals. Author, eulogy speechwriter, and funeral celebrant Pete Billingham explains how the growth of ‘Direct Cremations’ is changing the way we remember those we’ve loved and lost, and how the digital age is shaping the modern landscape of memorial services. Near Llandaff Weir Vimla Patel shows Azim a new multi-faith ash scattering site in the River Taff. It’s the first site of its kind in Wales and offers Hindus and Sikhs the opportunity to scatter the ashes of their loved ones near the place they call home. Traditionally ashes would be scattered in India’s holiest river, the Ganges, but Vimla explains that for second and third generation members of the Sikh and Hindu communities many would prefer ashes to be scattered in Wales. Supporting Humanity is an award-winning charity providing mental health and bereavement support. Since the Covid pandemic they’ve been running workshops and tutorials to train younger members of the Muslim community the traditional Muslim funeral ritual of Ghusl. In the Islamic tradition it is important that burial takes place as quickly as possible and that the body should be washed and dressed before so. Trustee Sumaiya Khoda and CEO and founder Idris Patel share how they’ve been overwhelmed with the interest and dedication shown by the young people they work with. Details of organisations offering information, advice and support with bereavement are available at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Sleep is said to be a gift from God, but what happens when you can't drift off at night, or you regularly wake up in the small hours? Rosa Hunt investigates the science and spiritual purpose of sleep. Roughly 1 in 3 people experience periodic bouts of insomnia, and there's no it can be deeply troubling, both mentally and physically. Rosa Hunt (who suffers herself from insomnia) investigates the fascinating science and spiritual purpose of sleep, and talks to a number of fellow insomniacs.Rev'd Belinda Huxtable-Goy has suffered from disturbed sleep as a legacy of her previous job as a nurse working night shifts in trauma and obstetrics. Rev'd Dr Emma Whittick has managed to overcome her sleep difficulties after a lifelong struggle to sleep at night, whilst Rev Jon Birch started his teens as a very good sleeper, only to end with a very disrupted sleep pattern whilst experiencing the pressures of student life. As for so many people, this only got worse with the pressures of parenthood and dealing with very young children.In the past sleep was deemed practically a waste of time, and even the Bible sometimes seems to equate sleep with laziness. But as scientific understanding gets ever deeper, we can appreciate that sleep performs a whole range of essential functions. Professor Mark Blagrove, a psychiatrist from Swansea University and no stranger himself to wakeful hours in the middle of the night, explains some of the science and the multiple functions of sleep.Presenter: Rosa Hunt Producer: Geoff Ballinger

We’re three weeks into January - Christmas seems a distant memory, the weather pattern this month has ranged from flooding to freezing cold temperatures, and there’s still a couple of months to go before the clocks go forward, when the days grow longer and lighter. And perhaps, for many us, those hope-filled new year’s resolutions are now long forgotten. For some, these factors all contribute to a decline in mood. So-called ‘Blue Monday’ falls this week. The label was reportedly coined by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004 when a holiday company asked him for a ‘scientific formula’ to calculate the most depressing day of the year. In fact, there’s nothing scientific about it, and the term ‘Blue Monday’ has been disputed over the years. But, does January really make the world feel different; or is the notion a myth, negatively conditioning the way we routinely view the first month of the new year? How deeply do the changing months and seasons affect the way we view and experience our daily lives, and our spirituality?To discuss these issues, Delyth Liddell is joined by Vishvapani Blomfield, a Buddhist writer, broadcaster and mindfulness teacher; Dr Simon Braybrook, a GP from Cardiff; and Sr Gemma Simmonds, director of the Religious Life Institute at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, and an ecumenical canon of the Church in Wales.

Roy Jenkins speaks to the Church in Wales' newly-appointed Director of Mission and Strategy, the poet and writer Grahame Davies. Before his recent appointment to the church of which he has been a lifelong member, Grahame served as deputy private secretary to King Charles III, where he worked behind the scenes helping with - among other things - the huge task of organising royal visits. Grahame talks about his faith journey - sometimes literally, when he reflects on a profound spiritual experience he had after visiting the island of Iona - and about the joy of hearing his own words sung and performed to millions of TV viewers around the world during the King's Coronation.

This year All Things Considered marked the 900th anniversary of St David's recognition by Pope Callixtus II as patron saint of Wales, when he declared that two pilgrimages to St Davids were worth one to Jerusalem.Across the seven weeks between St David's Day and Easter this year, All Things Considered and Celebration celebrated the life and impact of this man whose feast day we mark every year but about whom we know relatively little.During the course of the series programmes were made examining David's relationships with Pembrokeshire, Brittany, Rome and Jerusalem – following in the footsteps of the saint himself, and asking what this medieval figure might have to teach us today. Jonathan Thomas introduces highlights from the series.

Delyth Liddell introduces four Christmas cards from Llandaff Diocese. Will and Jude Souter are from Urban Crofters church in Roath; Edwin Counsell is at St Illtud's in the Vale of Glamorgan; Mark and Ruth Greenaway-Robbins are at Margam Abbey; and Sarah Jones is from St John the Baptist in the centre of Cardiff.

The birth of Jesus is an important even for both Muslims and Christians, but there are some key differences in how the nativity story is told. For any Christians expecting to hear about donkeys and asses, innkeepers and shepherds there's disappointment in store: these do not feature in the Islamic nativity story, although Mary and the Angel Gabriel do enjoy a key role! Azim Ahmed explores the Islamic traditions of Jesus, who is regarded not as the Son of God, but as an important prophet. For some critical scholars such as Professor Gabriel Said Reynolds the Islamic narrative derives from earlier Christian sources, sometimes from texts that were banned by the mainstream church. For Muslims such as Ahmad Thomson, however, the version contained within the Qur'an is the definitive one, revealed to the Prophet by the Angel Gabriel. Both traditions, however, are united in their belief in the virgin birth, and the eventual return of Jesus at the Second Coming. Rana Kahn, the Church in Wales' representative on interfaith matters, takes an even handed view of both the Biblical and the Quranic versions, whilst for Amanda Morris the story of Mary giving birth alone to Jesus is a story of immense emotional power. Producer: Geoff Ballinger

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed on 10th December 1948, is seen by many to be a milestone document in human history. Drafted in the aftermath of the Second World War, it set out basic rights that belong to all of us regardless of race, religion, gender or politics. But has the declaration withstood the test of time? Roy Jenkins examines the issues with four people who have dedicated their working lives to fighting for human rights. Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Principal of Regent’s Park College in Oxford and former Chair of the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture. Canon Paul Oestreicher, an Anglican priest and a Quaker, a CND vice-president and former Chair of Amnesty International UK. Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director of Human Rights Watch and Marissa Conway CEO of the United Nations Association in the UK.

Our guest today is one of the world’s most widely performed contemporary composers and arrangers, as well as an acclaimed choral conductor. Born in 1955, singing as a choir-boy in his local church ignited a musical spark in Bob Chilcott. Since then, choral music has been at the heart of his life: a chorister, then a choral scholar in the choir of King's College, Cambridge; a member of the British vocal group The King's Singers; and, since 1997, a full-time, prolific composer, arranger and conductor. His works span genres and include a large sacred output, performed and recorded globally. For many, his name is synonymous with Christmas, having written and arranged reams of Carols, including editions of the choral singer’s go-to compilations, Carols for Choirs. As a conductor, he holds the position of Guest Principal Conductor of the BBC Singers, and directs choirs of all ages and abilities across the world. Bob Chilcott is committed to sharing choral singing as a vehicle for humanity.

To judge from the number of recordings (they run into the thousands) Amazing Grace is one of the world's most popular hymns. And yet this global 'hit' was many years in the making. Penned by a former slave trader turned abolitionist, John Newton, it was in America that it would be popularised, largely through the agency of a Welshman who wedded it to the tune with which we are familiar nowadays. Ironically, the song was most enthusiastically adopted by African Americans. And it would be two centuries before a hymn written for a rural parish in Buckinghamshire would return to Britain as a popular song, conquering the charts with recordings such as Judy Collins' version in 1970, and an unlikely chart-topper in 1972 with The Pipes And Drums And The Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Rosa Hunt explores the various twists and turns, and the ironies in this story of John Newton's most famous hymn, which is now some 250 years old. Acclaimed baritone and composer Roderick Williams talks about his collaboration with poet Rommi Smith in writing a song-cycle expressing some of our contemporary unease with a hymn which is both loved and despised, depending on perspective. Historian James Walvin is the author of a new book on Amazing Grace, and he provides the historical context to Newton's life, whilst Welsh historian Marian Gwyn gives her insight into the nature of the Atlantic slave trade at the time of John Newton. One landmark recording of the song was made by Paul Robeson, and Beverley Humphreys comments on both that recording and on Newton's words. Producer: Geoff Ballinger https://www.johnnewton.org/Groups/222562/The_John_Newton/new_menus/Amazing_Grace/Amazing_Grace.aspx https://cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk/john-newton-1725-1807/

The term 'spiritual abuse' is increasingly used in faith contexts, but what exactly is it, and how does it differ from other forms of abuse? Jonathan Thomas explores the issues. Jonathan hears the testimonies of those who have suffered abuse including Caroline Plant, founder of Replenished Life, a charity based in St David's that supports victims of spiritual abuse. Co-founder Simon Plant explains their personal motivation to establish the charity. Dr Lisa Oakley, Professor of Safeguarding and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Chester, and joint author of the book Exploring the Maze of Spiritual Abuse explains what makes spiritual abuse distinctive from other forms of abuse. The most recent allegations to hit the headlines about spiritual abuse have been against Mike Pilavachi, founder and figurehead of Soul Survivor in Watford. Over many years this church attracted tens of thousands of young worshippers through their annual Christian festivals. Allegations of 'inappropriate relationships' between Pilavachi and young male interns have come as a shock to the Evangelical Christian community. Megan Cornwell, Deputy Editor of Premier Christianity Magazine and host of podcast Soul Survivors examines the allegations. This autumn St David's Catholic Cathedral in Cardiff is hosting a week-long 'Loud Fence' initiative to provide a voice to those who have experienced abuse in faith based settings. During the week people are encouraged to tie brightly coloured ribbons and messages of support to railings to recognise survivors of abuse. Antonia Sobocki is the leader of the initiative in the UK. She explains why we need a radical change in the way we respond to survivors of abuse.

At the moment you can’t move in the shops for sales of Pumpkins, and all kinds of Hallowe'en outfits – such as masks, witches’ hats, and luminous skeletons. It’s being reported that spending on Hallowe’en is expected this year to surpass the billion pound mark. Come Hallowe'en there’ll be the trick or treat ring of the doorbell, and spooky parties serving foul-looking broth, witches’ fingers and graveyard chocolate cake. But as far as the church is concerned, there’s little or no engagement except perhaps for a so-called Light Party. Rosa Hunt takes a broader look at Hallowe'en. We hear about the history of bonfire celebrations on October 31st which stretch back to pre-Christian times; in Wales “Nos Calan Gaeaf” had both agricultural and spiritual significance. We ask why many in the church have little or nothing to do with Hallowe’en. As far as popular stories like the Harry Potter books or Philip Pullman’s 'His Dark Materials' are concerned, the church has sometimes been accused of keeping such fantastical story lines at arm’s length. We consider why. And amidst all the Hallowe’en trick & treating, can all the fun tip over into something more sinister? Rosa’s guests this week are: Sergeant Sue Carrington, a crime prevention police officer based in north Wales. Revd Dr Rob Beamish, a school chaplain and Baptist minister based in Colwyn Bay. Mandy Bayton, Director of Evangelism, Church in Wales. Twm Elias, Welsh author who has written a written a book about festivals during the year including “Nos Calan Gaeaf”. Revd Canon Dr Jason Bray, Vicar of St Giles’s Parish Church Wrexham and a Deliverance Minister.

The shimmering opening chords of 'When You Wish Upon a Star' means just one thing in the minds of many – the start of a magical journey into a 'whole new world', with princesses, princes, tribal chiefs, fairy godmothers, magic carpets, talking snowmen and happy ever afters. This month marks the centenary of the founding of Disney. What began as a small animation studio in California has grown into a multi-billion-pound entertainment conglomerate with an enormous following. And today we take a closer look at Disney’s output, drawing mostly on the beloved animation films from across the years, as we explore what underpinned Walt Disney’s vision and values. Is this simply innocent entertainment, star dust and escapism; or a powerful vehicle for a moral message? Who is represented in its films and remakes? Does it really ‘make no difference who you are’ to be able follow the Disney dream? And with its streaming service and theme parks attracting millions each year, has the brand itself become something of a religion? Delyth's guests include: Mark Pinsky, a writer and journalist based in North Carolina in the USA, whose book about the 'Disney Gospel' examines how Disney films says more about faith and values that we might think; Neera Vyas, a Hindu teacher and writer based in Wrexham; Fourteen year old Lowri Moore who shares her inspiring story; And a cohort of young helpers who help guide us through their perceptions of Disney films.

In light of the conflict in Israel and Gaza, Jonathan Thomas hears the views of members of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities affected by recent events. The programme contains personal opinions and reports from Jerusalem and from Wales and further afield, as faith leaders and ordinary individuals try to make sense of what is happening, and question what hope there might be for peace.

Today's guest joins us 6 months into new role as CEO of Cytûn, Churches Together, Wales. He embarks on a key ecumenical role at a challenging time: fewer people in Wales consider themselves Christian, there's a slump in congregations and churches face a crossroads. But Siôn Brynach has put out a clarion call to the organisation to consider how ecumenicalism can serve Welsh Society. Ordained a Priest in 2022, and currently serving as a self-supporting associate priest at Christ Church, Roath Park Lake, Siôn Brynach has followed a huge range of career paths: politics in Plaid Cymru, communications and public affairs, at the Arts Council of Wales, Hanfod Cymru, the BBC and the Church in Wales. Recent years have been marked by trauma, from a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2018, to a horrific collision in 2020, which left his wife, Cathrin, with life-changing injuries. But Siôn Brynach’s faith has been his sustenance, and he now encourages those he serves to ‘look ahead’, to see what is possible. Jonathan Thomas speaks to Siôn about his life, work, and hopes for the future of the ecumenical movement in Wales.

Rosa Hunt looks at the ethical and religious implications of AI's growing involvement in our lives. The second of two programmes looks at our relationship with AI in our religious lives. Might Artificial Intelligence become our priest - or even our King? Rosa talks to: Marius Dorobantu, a theologian specialising in the intersection of science and religion at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Zoe Kleinman, BBC News' technology correspondent; Jonas Summerlin, researcher at the University of Vienna in Austria who's recently mounted an AI-led church service; and John Lennox, Oxford mathmetician and Christian apologist who writes about the interface of science, philosophy and religion.

Rosa Hunt looks at the ethical and religious implications of AI's growing involvement in our lives. The first of two programmes looks at our relationship with AI in our daily lives. Artificial Intelligence might be our helper - can it ever be our friend? Rosa talks to: Zoe Kleinman, BBC News' technology correspondent; Hannah Rowlatt, RNIB Technology for Life coordinator for Wales; Myra Wilson, head of the intelligent robotics group at Aberystwyth University; and John Lennox, Oxford mathmetician and Christian apologist who writes about the interface of science, philosophy and religion.

This September as part of the new Curriculum for Wales, students across the country will be studying a new Religious Education syllabus. The rebranded 'Religion, Values and Ethics' curriculum is being rolled out on a gradual basis, and the first pupils will take a GCESE in the subject in 2025. Rebranding one of the oldest curriculum subjects is a significant step, and to discuss the issues Delyth Liddell is joined by four guests; Mary Stallard, lead bishop for Education in the Church in Wales, Kathy Riddick, Wales Humanists Coordinator, Jennifer Harding-Richards, RE Hub leader for Wales and Libby Jones from the St. Giles Centre in Wrexham. Together they discuss what is new and distinctive about this course, and how it marks a departure from the past. In Wales there's been a significant fall in students taking A-Level RE (748 entrants in 2023 compared to 1276 in 2019) and short courses GCSE entrants have decreased by 85% since 2010. Only 6 students have enrolled on a PGCE to teach Secondary RE this year. Can the new curriculum turn this rather gloomy picture around?

Today's guest is widely recognised for his hands-on ministry to people in need. During the lockdowns of the pandemic, when many churches in his home community of Burnley in Lancashire closed their doors, he offered ‘Church on the Street’; and it attracted wide media attention. Pastor Mick Fleming had previously spent decades in a life marked by hard crime and addiction. On the verge of an illegal operation, a spiritual encounter began a challenging journey: confronting past trauma and addictions, finding a new beginning with God and being called to ministry. Now, on the streets where he previously dealt drugs, he runs a network delivering hot meals, food parcels and clothing to the most vulnerable across the North West, as well as offering spiritual nourishment through weekly worship, and many other community services. His work has prompted a visit from the now Prince and Princess of Wales, and he’s just published his autobiography. Plans are also reportedly afoot for a television series based on his life story.

Until a few decades ago congregations would regularly wear their smartest outfits to church or chapel every Sunday: women might wear a frock and adorn their heads with exotic hats, and men might don a sober suit and tie, and slather their hair in fragrant hair tonic. Meanwhile, such clergy as used clerical dress - and that's by no means all - tended to restrict themselves to a restricted palette of black, white and maybe grey. Nowadays, attitudes are far more relaxed among congregations; and some clergy, particularly members of the Catholic and Anglo-Catholic traditions, rejoice in wearing some fascinating vestments, full of vibrant colour and full of symbolism. Jonathan Thomas examines the complex dress codes at work among congregations and clergy in the past, and gets a feel for attitudes towards clothing today - and even gets to try on a beautiful green chasuble! Jonathan meets one of the premium makers of clerical vestments - Watts & Co - who have been involved in no fewer than five coronations (including the coronation of King Charles III (https://wattsandco.com/pages/royal-connection), and speaks to Bishop Mary Stallard, Bishop of Llandaff. Baptist Gethin Russell-Jones, recalls growing up under the 'Sunday Best' dress code, while Methodist minister Cathy Gale recalls the strict hat-wearing code at work when she ministered to congregations in the Caribbean. Jason Bray, vicar of St Giles church in Wrexham, explains what he wears for his very particular side-line as a 'deliverance minister'. As Rev Dr Bray explains, the contemporary relaxed dress code among congregations reflects a movement away from 'social Christianity', where church is merely a place to be seen, to an environment in which people take their spirituality seriously.

Delyth Liddell follows in St David's footsteps to Glastonbury, one of the most spiritually diverse places in Britain, and a community which David is said to have founded in the sixth century. David famously preached against heresy (the heresy of Pelagianism), so what what would he have made of a community that these days is home to 78 different spiritualities ... and what would they have made of him? Delyth visits the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, accompanied by an Anglo-Saxon guide - Edgar the Anglo-Saxon - and in the beautiful surviving chapel of St Patrick speaks to the Vicar of Glastonbury, Prebendary David McKeogh. That the once magnificent abbey now stands in ruins is a vivid demonstration of what happens when one orthodoxy is replaced by another, as the Reformation made heretics of former loyal Catholics, and dismissed the wonders of saintly cults such as the cult of St David. Dr Sarah White explains the nature of heresy past and present. Nowadays, Glastonbury is a more tolerant, inclusive society - Delyth visits not only a Catholic Shrine but also a pagan healing centre. Far from condemning modern pagans, many mainstream Christian denominations in the town are prepared to work alongside people who hold quite different views to their own - Vicar David McGeogh recalls fondly the occasion when he organised a funeral for an artist, and elves, pixies and druids all joined in to say the Lord's Prayer. As Methodist minister Tina Swire explains, 'Glastonbury is a place of seekers...and we are all seeking something'.

As part of our series of programmes making the 900th anniversary of St David's international recognition, presenter and pastor Jonathan Thomas tries out a day in the life of St David. Jonathan's own contemporary religious traditions are quite different from the ancient practices of a Celtic saint. As he visits key locations in West Wales connected with David, and follows in his footsteps and practices (or their present-day equivalents) - what will he make of life lived in the style of a 6th century monk? And what will today's West Walians make of him? In this programme, Jonathan tries cold water immersion, street preaching, contemplative practices and more. Helping him along the way are St Davids' Cathedral librarian Mari James; Archdeacon of Ceredigion and dairy farmer Eileen Davis; and chaplain at the University of Wales Trinity St David, Emma Whittick. No day in the life of a saint is complete without a trusty band of followers: Jonathan is joined for part of the programme by students from Trinity St David's Lampeter Campus, and conducts some of his saintly duties in the contemplative environment of the campus' chapel, refectory and library.

This year marks 900 years since St David’s place at the centre of Welsh identity was given international recognition by Pope Callixtus II. Two pilgrimages to St Davids, it was pronounced, were equivalent to one to Rome; a later version of this claims that three pilgrimages to the Pembrokeshire cathedral were equivalent to one pilgrimage to Jerusalem. But who really was St David, and what does he mean to us in 21st century Wales? For BBC Radio Wales, All Things Considered and Celebration are marking this anniversary during the seven weeks from St David’s Day to Easter. We’re exploring the locations connected with his story to understand what motivated him, how he’s been seen across the centuries, and what he means to us now. We’ll reflect themes linked to St David, and hear from contemporary pilgrims following in his footsteps, and we’ll worship as David did. David’s life and the stories which came to be told about him were from the very beginning shaped by an international dimension: David was given his status because of a relationship with Rome; he acquired his spiritual purpose because of a relationship with Jerusalem; his birth and upbringing involved a relationship with Brittany; while his spiritual leadership involved relationship with the whole island of Britain. In this programme Sarah Rowland-Jones investigates some deeper connections between our patron saint and the Holy City. The earliest biography of St David, written 500 years after his death, claimed that David travelled to Jerusalem and met the Patriarch, who declared him archbishop of all the the Britons. This may sound fanciful, but there is an abundance of evidence that early Christians actually did make that arduous journey to the Holy Land - not least from Britain. Not only that, David's famously austere monastic lifestyle is certainly indebted to the example set by the desert fathers, who lived in Egypt - a connection that David's earliest biographer, Rhigyfarch, explicitly acknowledges. Visiting the Garden of Gethsemane and the Old City of Jerusalem, Sarah searches for the historical context for a saint about whom so much has been written, but about whom so little is known for certain.