St. Wistan Church, Wistow is the historic parish church where Henry and I attended the wedding blessing of Julian Brooks and Lena Kopelow. They were married earlier in Montecito, California because the bride’s family lives nearby,  and the couple met in California where they were both living. Henry and I were invited to the actual wedding, but could not attend since we were still on our world-wide travels, traveling around Scotland on their wedding date, September 18, 2010. Therefore, it was truly a pleasure to attend the wedding blessing at Julian family home, to finally meet Lena and to see Julian and his parents once again. Our last meeting had been in Tasmania in 2008, when the Brooks family gathered for a cousin’s wedding in Hobart. Here in Wistow, in the presence of family and friends, the couple was blessed for a second time at the family home in Leicestershire. Guests gathered on the lawn before the service and were already seated in the church when the bride and groom entered, arm in arm. Father Philip O’Reilly officiated. The service was a warm, solemn, and a joyful affair, sweet with blessings, readings and prayers interspersed with 19th century hymns. Excerpts from the Song of Solomon were read by Julian’s sister, Tiarna Doherty, the repeated refrain sweetly reminding the couple: “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”. Julian’s elder Brother, Richard Brooks read portions of a 17th century sermon written on the subject of marriage by Jeremy Taylor. Amongst other attributes about marriage, the sermon stated that marriage was “like the useful bee, (that)  builds a house and gathers sweetness from every flower, and labours and unites into societies and republics, and sends out colonies, and feeds the world with delicacies, and obeys the king, and keeps order and exercises many virtues and promotes the interest of mankind, and is that state of good things to which God hath designed the present constitution of the world”.  Just thinking of this sunny afternoon ceremony, the lovely bride and handsome groom, the warm embrace of the couple by Julian’s parents, family and friends warms my heart. Henry and I were very happy to have been included to witness this blessing!

About the church: In 849, it was reported that human hair was seen growing through the grass in Wistow Churchyard on the first of June. The legend of Saint Wistan, who as a Wigstan, Prince of Mercia, a Christian, was murdered by his cousin who wanted his throne and cared nothing for the Christian religion. A church was built on the site of the murder, then replaced with the current Norman church. In the 13th century, the bell tower was built. The church consists of a west tower, nave and a transept to the north. There is no chancel as such, and the altar is placed at the east end of the nave. The church has very nice  lines with little adornment inside or outside. The wooden pews with doors, the color and design of these and other wooden features all in keeping with the simplicity and elegance of the architecture. The church stands across the road from Wistow House, an historic English house, bequeathed to Julian’s mother, Ann, by her father.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. View of St. Wistan Church, with the wedding guests gathered on the lawn. Lena and Julian receiving the blessing from Father Philip O’Reilly. 3. Julian and Lena leaving the church arm in arm, smiling with delight after receiving their wedding blessing in the company of family and friends. Center, Top: View of St. Wistan Church interior. Father O’Reilly is speaking with Julian’s mother, Ann. Center, Middle: Father Philip O’Reilly, speaking to the wedded couple during the blessing ceremony. Center, Bottom:  Still life in St. Wistan Church, a lovely floral arrangement with bottle of champagne! Right Column: 1. The organist, providing the music for the occasion. 2. Richard Brooks, Julian’s elder brother, reading Jeremy Taylor’s 17th century sermon, as printed in the program of the ceremony. 3. Julian’s father, Timothy Brooks, embracing the bride. Julian and his mother embracing outside the church after the lovely ceremony.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE