A RYEDALE abbey church, home to a community of Benedictine nuns, will be dedicated in a special ceremony.

Stanbrook Abbey Church, in Wass, will have relics placed in the altar which were previously in the abbey church at Callow End, near Worcester, the previous home of the community, as part of the dedication service on Sunday, September 6.

After the depositing of the relics the altar and the church walls will be anointed with chrism oil.

The dedication Mass will be celebrated by Rt Rev Terence Patrick Drainey, Bishop of Middlesbrough and His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster will give the Homily.

The monks from Ampleforth Abbey, who act as chaplains to the community, will also attend the service.

The Benedictine nuns community moved to Wass in 2009 from Callow End, and have been using the chapter house as a chapel while waiting for the abbey church to be built.

The abbey church now has choir stalls for 26 nuns and seating for up to 60 guests.