St Issui Patricio, Patrishow, Powys, Wales

This was my second visit to this remote church, tucked into the hillside overlooking pastureland and mountains. The ancient green track behind the church continues on to Talgarth, the place of King Byrchan’s court. It’s possible that Issui was a contemporary of Brychan and his children.

The church is a very special place, not just for its isolation in modern times but for the deep presence of God. Issui was martyred here and buried in the shrine chapel adjacent to the church. His tomb still exists. The holy well besides which he reputedly live and was killed is below the church, down the hill. It still flows from the spring and is venerated both by Christians and others seeking spiritual realities. However, it is the church where I sense it is a clean place to pray.

As I entered through the lychgate into the churchyard, my spirit wept with joy and the recognition of God’s presence in this place. It is a sense of deep relief, of pressure lifting and a sinking into the arms of God. It is the recognition of coming back to an unpolluted holy place. As I enter the church my soul erupts into singing with the scripture, ‘Spring up oh well’ Numbers 21:17, one that oftens rises in my spirit at holy places.

The encounter which followed was intensely personal and not for sharing but I urge anyone to make the effort to find this place, to come aside and to be with God in the quiet of ancient holiness, unhurried and set apart from modern life.