Armagh, Belfast, Craigavon, Cork, Dublin, and island-wide commemorations
Downpatrick – Looking to a shared future
The theme of the 2011 St Patrick’s Day celebrations at Down Cathedral is, “Shared Past: Shared Future” and the guest speaker will be Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, The Right Revd Norman Hamilton.
The celebrations normally are a cross-community occasion but this year, leaders and groups who have been instrumental in building a shared future in Northern Ireland have been specially invited.
The Right Revd Harold Miller, Bishop of Down and Dromore, is passionate about the churches’ role in building a shared future. Speaking about the theme he said, “As Christians, we must never be content just to exist in parallel universes. We really need to get to know each other, to bless each other and build a better future where our lives are intertwined.”
The annual St Patrick’s Day event gathers hundreds of visitors, from Ireland and abroad. It begins with a service of Holy Communion at Saul Church, followed by a pilgrimage to Down Cathedral. The pilgrims are greeted by a bagpiper at the bottom of the Mall then piped to the Cathedral doors and the Festival Service which will include Irish dancers and traditional music. After the service, a wreath is laid at St Patrick’s grave by local ministers of all denominations before lunch is served to invited guests in the Cathedral grounds.
Afterwards, Bishop Miller and Revd Hamilton will join the main St Patrick’s Day Parade in Downpatrick.
Schedule • 9.30am Holy Communion service at Saul Parish Church (Preacher: Mr Dominic Breen, Senior Teacher, Assumption Grammar, Ballynahinch) • 10.30am Pilgrimage prayer walk beginning at Saul Church and ending at Down Cathedral • 11.30am Pilgrims reach the bottom of The Mall • 11.45am Interdenominational Festival Service at Down Cathedral • 1.00pm Wreath-laying ceremony at St Patrick’s grave with schoolchildren in attendance
Armagh, Cork, Belfast
In St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, the Primate will preach at the Sung Eucharist while the Bishop of Cork will preside at a Festival Eucharist and Civic Service in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral which will be followed by a reception in the Palace. There will be a eucharist in Belfast Cathedral at 1.00 pm
Dubin
In Dublin there will be a Sung Eucharist in St Patrick’s Cathedral at 10.45am at which the preacher will be Bishop Willie Walsh while in the evening at 5pm the Cathedral will host ‘St Patrick in his own Words’ – an ecumenical celebration of Ireland’s patron saint in word, choral singing and traditional music, organized by the Dublin Council of Churches. At 5pm RTE Radio 1 will broadcast Choral Evensong for St Patrick’s Day from Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
Bible readings by young people
Thousands of local young people are set to give the bible a new voice this St Patrick’s Day with an innovative audio recording. Ireland’s largest Christian festival, Summer Madness, wants to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by producing an audio version of the entire bible using young peoples’ voices from across the island. Summer Madness. It is hoped that young people from across Ireland to go to www.audioboo.com and simply choose and record a chapter from the Bible. This will then be compiled into one complete audio bible that will feature young people from all locations, backgrounds and denominations in Ireland that will be freely available to anyone to download or listen to online.
Craigavon
Churches Together in Craigavon are organising a St. Patrick’s get-together in Seagoe Parish Centre from 7.30pm. The Rector, Canon Terence Cadden, describes how the evening will flow:
We’ll begin in the Rotunda for a drinks reception to be followed by an interactive St. Patrick’s celebration. This will focus on the mission of God in sending Patrick among us and his sending of people in the spirit of Patrick throughout the world.
We will plot on a map the places where we have loved ones throughout the world; pray for them and send them out specially produced St. Patrick’s cards from the Churches Together. Candles will be lit to represent their presence as we continue to celebrate.
We will then place pins on the map to show from where we have come. There will be a sprinkling of people from other countries present including some who are on mission among us. They will lead us in praying the Lord’s Prayer in a variety of different languages as an audible demonstration of the diversity of the family of God gathered together.
Finally, we will fill in prayer cards to ask God’s blessing on us in our calling to live out the good news as missionaries wherever we are called to live. These cards will be placed at the foot of a large central cross.
The different stages will occur at the different stages of our meal. We will also have musicians playing Irish music, some dancing and singers.
Visitors are most welcome. For catering purposes, please contact the office to let us know you’re coming. Tel: 028 38 350583 (Mon to Fri 9-12) Email: info@seagoe.co.uk