THE Archbishop of Cardiff sat down in a classroom with schoolchildren to learn how to do brass rubbing.

The Most Rev Peter Smith, Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, was visiting Belmont Abbey to see at first hand the work of the education team.

He joined a group of 12 to 13-year-olds from St Mary's Catholic High School, Lugwardine, on all their activities.

Belmont Abbey welcomes up to 1,500 pupils and students annually on educational visits.

The Archbishop accompanied the school on tours of the monastery grounds and the abbey church.

With the children, he learned to do sign language used by Benedictine monks during their silent meal times.

He watched pupils painting medieval illuminated letters based on the 7th century Lindisfarne Gospels and in the brass rubbing session, he completed a golden brass of St John the Evangelist, while chatting to children alongside.

He also joined the school at midday prayer with the monks, where a Portuguese pupil did the spiritual reading, and sat in on a session where children questioned a panel of monks on the challenges of monastic life. Later, he joined in building three-dimensional models of the abbey and the monastery, painting stained glass windows and doing monastic jigsaws.

Archbishop Peter said: "I'm impressed by the excellence of Belmont Abbey's educational work. The programme is first-class and full of exciting, educational activities. Belmont's education team includes many highly qualified, experienced teachers.

"I was particularly impressed by the session where the pupils have the opportunity to ask questions about the lives of monks and by the honesty and frankness of the monks' answers."