[Church in Wales] A Vale of Glamorgan vicar helped to raise the curtain for a visiting circus by blessing their new Big Top.

Indeed it was a return to the performing arts for the Revd Jon Ormrod when Circus Mondao recently rolled into Sully with their new big tent. For the priest-in-charge of the parishes of Sully and Wenvoe with St Lythans is a former stage manager with the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

“This was a first for me but I was delighted to oblige. I was told that it was a tradition within the circus for new tents/Big Tops to be blessed by the local vicar,” said Mr Ormrod.

“The blessing is carried out to ensure the safety and welfare of the performers, the animals and the audience.

“Using a branch from a Yew tree from the church in Sully, I sprinkled Holy water around the Big Top, the performers and the animals.

“It was a lovely occasion – everyone made me feel very welcome and it was great to do something a little bit different.”

Circus ringmistress Petra Jackson said before performances started, as part of a long standing circus tradition, the new tent needed to be blessed by the local vicar.

"We were very grateful to the Revd Ormrod for carrying out the blessing which was attended by all artists in full costume, all staff and animals. It was fantastic to find him as with his theatrical background, it just seemed as though it was meant to be.

"Two of our performers were christened in the Big Top as children and many circus people also marry in the Big Top. The circus tent/Big Top is the centre piece of our lives and everything revolves around it. Without a tent we are not a circus.”

Circus Mondao have now moved onto Porthcawl from Sully.