Dewi Sant portrayed afresh

News of 147 South African covid variant infections identified so far, with suspicion there are many more due to rapid symptomless transmission. It seems that the Oxford AZ vaccine isn't quite as effective in stopping mild infection in the younger age bracket (and therefore contagion) as hoped for, although still highly protective against serious and fatal illness, which should help reduce hospitalizations. It's the result of a small scale study (2000 people) yet to be peer reviewed. It gives an early heads up from the experts to not to stop social distancing and mask wearing, whether you've been vaccinated or not. I do wish this was repeated more frequently every time this comes up as a news item, so that people are reminded it's not just a mere inconsequential statistic. The mews media are great at raising anxiety and not so good at reminding their audience of what is vital and live-saving.

The chill easterly wind continues to blow relentlessly, bringing a scattering of stinging icy particles but no snow. Despite a hat, ski jacket, gloves, normal jacket, two pullovers, shirt and woolen vest, I was still cold during my first invigorating walk of the day. Perhaps because I no longer have as much surplus body fat as I used to. I caught sight of a blue jay feeding on the ground at the edge of Pontcanna Fields and for just the second time in ten years of trying was able to photograph it. I got half a dozen useful pictures, though not quite as good as I'd liked. All in focus but not quite sharp enough, due to poor lighting not giving as fast a shutter speed as necessary to minimise motion blur totally. Pleased nevertheless.

This afternoon our icon painting friend Fran was in touch with Clare, sending photos of her finished icon of St David, which Clare commissioned for Cardiff Steiner School. It's a beautiful, original and unique in its use of iconographic form, symbolism and colour to portray Dewi Sant. She has created a work of art, that owes much to the ethos of both Byzantine and Western medieval sacred painting. It's a tradition which seems come from past religious history, and yet is very much alive today. Eventually, I'll post a photo here, so you can understand what I'm saying. 

The next step is to devise a suitable way of blessing and dedicating this icon, whose home will be in a secular pluralist school environment, reminding pupils, teachers and visitors alike that they live in Wales whose culture is inspired of a humble hospitable holy man, at home in nature, whose life was attentive to the presence of God in Christ, revealed in all things great and small alike  

St David to tea in the garden

I took my prescription renewal request to the surgery this morning. Having been away and obtaining a couple of months worth of medication over in Ibiza, it's taken this long to get down to the last week's supply. The renewal procedure has changed, and the practice website doesn't reflect this. Now that the usual entrance to the surgery is closed, the designated collection box for prescription requests is not in use. You have to post them through the letter box in the door which is in use instead. I just hope it doesn't get blown into an obscure corner when the door is opened to admit patients and visitors!

As I was about to go out for my afternoon walk, I had a call from Mother Frances asking if I could do a funeral in two weeks time, as two came in on the same day. While I was out in the park, starting to pick blackberries I had a phone call from Clare to say that Fran and Mark were coming around for tea in the garden, so I had to curtail my foraging effort and head for home.

It's a happy coincidence that they have got together, as a couple. We've known them both separately for different reasons for almost twenty years. Fran, due to her involvement in the Steiner School, Mark as a musician friend of Rachel's, who put concerts on at St John's when I was Vicar there.

Fran brought with her an icon of St David which she's painting, to show us. Clare sponsored it as a gift to the school, an inspirational reminder of its Welsh roots. She's working on it thoughtfully and slowly in the tradition of Byzantine iconography, while depicting Dewi Sant primarily as a simple Celtic monk. 

Although he was a Bishop, showing him in the status loaded episcopal vestments of the Byzantine or  the Roman churches would not be wholly appropriate. Celtic Bishops were more grassroots people spending their lives travelling around evangelising and supporting church communities, rather than presiding from an urban centre of power. Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

We watched the 'War on Plastic' follow-up programme on telly later in the evening. It was an interesting exposure of misrepresentation of information about the recycleability of sandwich boxes and the plastic mesh used in many brands of teabag. Also it highlighted concern about the increased use of plastic packaging for vegetables in supermarket home deliveries during lockdown, and the growing environmental menace from discarded face masks, something I've noticed both in streets and parks. How will the vicious cycle of over consumption of plastic material ever be broken?