UK wrestling church, where faith meets the mat: Photos

A church in northern England is body-slamming tradition – literally – as it has gone viral for combining faith with pro wrestling.

Dubbed the Wrestling Church, St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Shipley has become a sensation for hosting monthly wrestling events under its stained-glass windows. The brainchild of 37-year-old Gareth Thompson, a former wrestler-turned-preacher, the church has drawn crowds of nearly 200 for nights filled with scripture, suplexes, and spiritual renewal.

“Boil it down to the basics, it’s good versus evil,” said Thompson, who performs in the ring as ‘Gareth Angel’. “I started seeing the wrestling world through a Christian lens – David and Goliath, Cain and Abel. And I thought, we could tell these stories.”

Thompson, who found solace in wrestling during a traumatic childhood, launched Wrestling Church in 2022. He now leads the events clad in a T-shirt that reads, ‘Pray, eat, wrestle, repeat’, blending his passion for performance with a calling to evangelize.

While traditional church attendance in the UK has declined – with less than half of England and Wales identifying as Christian in the 2021 census – Wrestling Church offers an unconventional draw. Rev. Natasha Thomas, the priest at St. Peter’s, admits she was unsure at first, but says the event has “brought in a different community than we would normally get.”

The evenings begin with a short homily before giving way to choreographed chaos – body slams, tag-team battles, and cheering fans waving foam fingers. Baptisms sometimes happen mid-show, sandwiched between matches.

“It’s surreal,” said wrestler Liam Ledger, who performs as ‘Flamin’ Daemon Crowe. “But it works both ways. Some people come for the faith and discover wrestling – others come for the wrestling and find faith.”

In its first year, Wrestling Church baptised 30 people. Thompson hopes to expand to other cities and maybe even start his own church one day.

“If you really believe in it, you suspend disbelief,” he said. “You want to get lost in it. You want to hope.”