St Germanus Priory Church, Cornwall

St Germans Priory Church

I wasn’t planning a visit to this church but popped in hoping that they would have a secondhand bookstore as I was looking for a reading book. From the outside the church looks a bit intimidating with its two mismatched towers and imposing architecture. The main entrance door is framed by a magnificent Norman stone arch with intricate carvings more reminiscent of a cathedral than a local church and this probably goes back to its history as a priory.

Imagine my surprise on entering, to find this magnificent church full of the presence of God. I glanced at the information board and suddenly noticed that the church is on an original Celtic Christian site of a monastery and church. It is probable that St Germanus actually came here. (His relics were returned in the middle ages). I love it when the Holy Spirit blows us to a location for a reason only to discover there's a Celtic foundation we knew nothing about.

I went to the altar to pray and was arrested by the beauty of the sunshine pouring through the stained glass windows. The colours were magnificent and the depictions beautiful. As I stand at the altar, the presence of God overwhelms me with a weighty presence and I start shaking, then weeping. What sadness is it that I feel here in the heart of God? It is profound. It is unexpected. I settle to pray and I’m very aware that the spiritual atmosphere reminds me of Llantwit Major where St Illtud trained many missionaries and sent them out across Wales, Cornwall and France. That is a holy site (you can read about it further on this site.) Imagine my surprise on later reading that St Germanus discipled Illtud! No wonder I sensed the spiritual connection.

The stained glass window is exceptionally beautiful, but we are struck by the fact that Jesus is represented similar to the other men in the windows. There’s no differentiation or indication that he is God Almighty. He looks like all the other men depicted. Nobody looking at the window would actually be pointed towards salvation or realise that Jesus is different. So we repented that Jesus is not central and the history of men is exalted so much. 

In the information panels it mentions that there are probably stone foundations of the original Celtic Church situated behind the altar on the grass outside. So I moved to pray as near to this as possible and prostrate myself in prayer. At this point, my prophetic seer realm opens and I see a tall regal angel dressed in sapphire blue robes stationed in front of the altar, on the spot where I was overcome with God’s presence. 

Following on from this vision, I see an armoured presence wearing Roman armour and a spear. Is this the same angelic being? Is it a warrior angel? I've seen some looking similar to this one. Initially, I think so. But I come to realise that I am wrong.

The vision continues and I am looking behind the altar, where they think stones remain from the Celtic church. I can see a pure, crystal clear bubbling spring. I am enraptured by it but then suddenly become aware that as I lie on my face before God, the armoured presence is standing over me with its foot on my back and the spear in its hand as if it is about to strike me.

I realise it is not God‘s angel at all but harmful. I rebuke it in Jesus’ name and tell it to go which it does.  Pondering and praying my sense is that it entered the church when the original Celtic Church was crushed by the incoming Anglo-Saxon Church. All remnants of the Celtic Church were subsumed and controlled and this church in particular was influential. Saint Germans became a major leading church at that time and was the first cathedral within Cornwall. With it a spirit of religion came in and control. This is what I sensed is grieving God’s heart so much that the loving community and expression of the Celtic Church was eradicated. It might have capped the original Celtic spring but it is still there.

After a brief interruption I go into another strange vision. This time I am watching an angel on its front moving through a confined narrow pipe grasping a very large key to its body. Water also seems to be running through this pipe.

Worship begins to rise up in my spirit and I start singing praises and adoration to Jesus. The worship continues to pour from my spirit and my husband joins in too. I now watch water begins to flow from the Spring down the central aisle of the church and I feel that the key the angel was holding has been used to unlock it. The wonderful thing is I could also see that the blue angel had joined us in worshiping Jesus and had its arms up in praise and adoration. He doesn’t interact with with me nor I with him.

I hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit, “Pray the well never runs dry in this place. It has been capped but I am about to burst forth the living waters so the thirsty may come and quench their thirst. Pray that the waters never run dry.’ So this is what we prayed.

As we left the church, I looked back down the aisle and bowed in grateful thanks not just to Jesus but also the blue angel, still on duty and faithful to His commands. I was brought to tears as he too bowed his head to me. This was our only interaction throughout, though obviously aware of each other.

’ Lord may your rivers of life flow once more in this beautiful place. May your Holy Spirit pour out in abundance the life that satisfies. Bring many here for salvation. Bring those who are thirsty and satisfy them with the waters of life. May many meet Jesus in this place once more amen “.

St Germans Priory Church day 2

I have been reading up more about the history of this church. No wonder I was impressed by the stained glass windows. They were designed by the famous pre-Raphaelite artist Burne-Jones and made by William Morris!

 Also, the siting of the church is the kind of location the early Celtic Christians favoured. It sits just above the tidal River Tiddy, with swift access to the sea. Germanus, coming from France, would have navigated up the river to an easy landing place, yet still felt he was ‘on the edge of the world’ a place where heaven and earth readily connect.

St Germanus’ relics were returned to the priory from France and laid to rest in the Lady chapel. Nothing remains of his burial site today in terms of a monument, but I lean against the wall where his relics may be, head on the cold stone and pray. I’m not being superstitious or weird, just honouring one who has gone before and acknowledging the debt of gratitude owed him in bringing the gospel to Cornwall. Nothing dramatic happens, there is just a peaceful presence of God like a warm cloak wrapped around my shoulders. I am aware the tall regal angel in blue remains before the main altar.

I settle in a chair and sit in the peace of God, still, resting with Him, then compose two little poem prayers.

In the place of rest

My heart is pulled to this out of the way place

An edge of the world, 

The wide stretched beyond

River to sea to over the horizon

What exploits happened here?

What faith rose to the throne of God?

I’m waiting, pondering, whispering my prayers

Mingling mine with theirs

Letting my heart soar.

Will my heart be read as theirs was read?

Will my prayers be heard just as theirs ascended?

May my heart crying out, ‘Come Lord Jesus come’ be rising to heaven 

We need you Lord!

Visit us once more.  

Dwell in our midst.

Kingdom come!

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Come Lord Jesus, come.

Praise Prayer

You alone are worthy

You alone deserve our praise

Yours is the name I lift high in this place

Jesus Jesus Jesus

The name above every other name

The name which never fades

The name to be honoured into eternity

Jesus

My love I pour at your feet. 

My heart I lay bare in your presence

Jesus Jesus Jesus

Eglarooze: St Winnolls

Reading the history information in St Germanus Priory it mentions that St Winwallow had a prayer monastery nearby which predates even the earliest site at St Germans. I’m intrigued. The hamlet is still called St Winnolls but consists only of a farm. Yet the information said the site was actually at Eglarooze. It was previously known as Eglos (church in Cornish) Rose (promontory). Looking on the map this is a little further down the valley, accessed via the narrowest of lanes.

Nothing remains of the Celtic church site, as is to be expected but we pull in anyway. Ahead of us is a beautiful, steeply side wooded river valley. It’s remote and secluded. We are surrounded by wheat fields ready for harvesting. Underfoot the camomile is a sweet fragrance, as we stop inside a field gate to pray. I am instantly aware there is a beautiful warrior angel here still, suggesting we are in the right place. But my focus is on Jesus.

I pray in the Spirit for a while, then bizarrely the Holy Spirit asks me to lay on my face in the field on the camomile. In obedience and rather uncomfortably, I do so. Immediately, I go into deep groaning, crying out for mercy for Cornwall, knowing how little we deserve it. The weeping and groaning, where there are no words, continues only a short time and then our assignment is complete.

 It is always an adventure when the Holy Spirit blows us places. We never quite know what to expect but it’s never dull.