Diocesan News09 Mar 11

Looking to a Shared Future at St Patrick's Day Celebrations (Down & Dromore)

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.