SKIPTON churches, Holy Trinity and St Stephen's, are to play host to an important and beautiful Eastern icon next week.

The beautiful Pax Christi Icon was made at the Monastery of St John in the Desert, near Jerusalem, and is owned by the Pax Christi organisation.

The icon, which is currently on a tour of Yorkshire schools and churches, is due to go on display at Holy Trinity, High Street, late on Monday, March 20 where it will stay until Thursday.

On Friday, (March 24) it will move to St Stephens's Roman Catholic Church on Castle View Terrace, where it will remain until Monday, March, 27 before going on the next stage of its journey to the Holy Rosary Church in Leeds.

The Icon aims to bring a message of peace and forgiveness and depicts stories of reconciliation from the Bible, particularly the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau.

It is large, incredibly striking and very beautiful, and is painted in shining gold and deep red and blue.

Special services will take place at Holy Trinity on Monday at 6pm and on Wednesday, at 6pm.

At St Stephen's there will be a service of evening prayer in the Eastern tradition at 7pm on Friday, March, 24.