English: Built at the end of the fifteenth century, St Giles parish church in Wrexham is one of the wonders of Wales. Currently, it is home to the poignant Festival of Angels. The festival commemorates those who have lost their lives to coronavirus across Wales. Each of the 6,000 angels on display are handmade from various materials - paper, polystyrene, fabric, cardboard - some new, some recycled. The angels fill the church. Some are suspended from the interior of the tower, attached to a net and dropped into the nave. The aisles are full of angels, as is the vestry, where they welcome members and visitors alike. When I visited the festival for the first time, it took my breath away - that each one of the angels represented someone's husband, wife, partner, dad, mum, brother, sister, friend or neighbour whose life had been lost to this cruel virus was so emotional. Sitting in a pew surrounded by the angels, I reflected on the past 21 months, and the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, angels symbolise hope and light, and I thought back to this time last year when we first heard that our scientists had produced a vaccine, and how much hope that brought us. As we enter another difficult phase of the pandemic, it is important we continue to have hope and light. I want to pay tribute to the congregation of St Giles parish church in Wrexham for creating such a beautiful and poignant exhibition, which is on display until the end of January. So many families in Wales will be facing Christmas without a loved one due to the coronavirus, and I hope the Festival of Angels will provide some comfort and strength at such a difficult time.
Welsh: Wedi'i hadeiladu ar ddiwedd y bymthegfed ganrif, mae eglwys y plwyf San Silyn yn Wrecsam yn un o ryfeddodau Cymru. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n gartref i Ŵyl Angylion. Mae'r ŵyl yn coffáu'r rheini a gollodd eu bywydau i'r coronafeirws ledled Cymru. Mae pob un o'r 6,000 o angylion sy'n cael eu harddangos wedi'u gwneud â llaw o amryw ddefnyddiau - papur, polystyren, ffabrig, cardbord - rhai'n newydd, rhai wedi'u hailgylchu. Mae'r angylion yn llenwi'r eglwys. Mae rhai wedi'u hongian o du mewn y tŵr, wedi'u gosod ar rwyd a'u gollwng i gorff yr eglwys. Mae'r eiliau'n llawn angylion, ynghyd â'r festri, lle maent yn croesawu aelodau ac ymwelwyr fel ei gilydd. Pan ymwelais â'r ŵyl am y tro cyntaf, cefais fy syfrdanu - roedd y ffaith bod pob un o'r angylion yn cynrychioli gŵr, gwraig, partner, tad, mam, brawd, chwaer, ffrind neu gymydog a gollodd eu bywyd i'r feirws creulon hwn yn emosiynol dros ben. Wrth eistedd yn un o'r corau, wedi fy amgylchynu gan yr angylion, myfyriais ar yr 21 mis diwethaf, ac effaith pandemig byd-eang COVID-19. Wrth gwrs, mae angylion yn symbol o obaith a goleuni, a chofiais yr amser hwn y llynedd pan glywsom gyntaf fod ein gwyddonwyr wedi cynhyrchu brechlyn, a faint o obaith a roddodd hynny i ni. Wrth inni gychwyn ar gyfnod anodd arall o'r pandemig, mae'n bwysig fod gennym obaith a goleuni o hyd. Hoffwn dalu teyrnged i aelodau eglwys y plwyf San Silyn yn Wrecsam am greu arddangosfa mor hyfryd a theimladwy, sydd i'w gweld tan ddiwedd mis Ionawr. Bydd cymaint o deuluoedd yng Nghymru yn wynebu'r Nadolig heb rywun annwyl yn sgil y coronafeirws, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Ŵyl Angylion yn rhoi rhywfaint o gysur a chryfder ar adeg mor anodd.