PARISHIONERS in Abergavenny will welcome a former archbishop of Canterbury into a new role this Sunday.

Rt Revd Lord Williams of Oystermouth, who as Dr Rowan Williams was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, will make his first official visit to the town in his new post of Visitor of the Holywell Community.

Bishop Rowan, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 until 2012, will preach at a service at St Mary’s Priory Church at 11am.

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During the service the Prior, Canon Mark Soady, will present Bishop Rowan with the Visitor’s Pectoral Cross.

Speaking previously about Bishop Rowan's appointment to the post, Canon Soady said: "The community is honoured to have such a spiritual and learned person as its Visitor.

"Since the inception of the community, Bishop Rowan has taken a great deal of interest in us – we are grateful for that."

Bishop Rowan will take on the Visitor role currently held by the former bishop of Monmouth, Richard Pain, who retired earlier this year.

Sunday's service falls on the same day of the canonisation, in Rome, of 17th-century English cardinal John Henry Newman. To mark this occasion, the communion service will include a poem of Newman's, They Are at Rest, set to music by Edward Elgar.