Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Easter Celebrations
Tomorrow (Sunday) is Easter Day when by tradition the bishops preach in their diocesan cathedrals. Given the distinctive polity of the Church of Ireland some bishops have more than one cathedral and so, for instance, this year the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe will be in St Columb’s cathedral, Derry, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross will preside in St Fin Barre’s cathedral, Cork, while the Bishop of Cashel, Ossory & Ferns will preach in Waterford cathedral. In Belfast Cathedral, which is a cathedral of the dioceses of both Connor and Down & Dromore, the preacher will be the Bishop of Down & Dromore.
Easter Day is one of only two occasions in the year when the Dean of St Patrick’s preaches in the normal liturgical round in the National Cathedral. This year the Very Revd Victor Stacey will preach for the last time as he retires from the stipendiary ministry next Thursday. Dean Stacey, who was elected to the deanery in 2012, has quietly presided over a period of consolidation with great diligence and personal warmth.
Elsewhere in Dublin things are somewhat different due to the restrictions on movement surrounding the official 1916 commemorations. The Archbishop of Dublin will preside at the Eucharist on Easter Eve in Christ Church cathedral at 9pm. On Easter Day he will attend the Easter Morning service in Sandford parish church and the commemoration at the GPO. In Christ Church cathedral on Easter Day there will be a said celebration of the Eucharist at 10am and at noon there will be a Service of Commemoration of the Easter Rising using the liturgy which has been devised by the Liturgical Advisory Committee of the General Synod.
There will be no vehicular access to Christ Church or St Patrick’s cathedrals and those who wish to drive, and have obtained security passes, will be bussed from a designated parking area in Thomas Street. There will be no Easter morning services in the parish churches of St Ann, St Audoen, St George & St Thomas, St Michan, St Stephen and St Werburgh.
On Easter Monday the Bishop of Cork will attend the 1916 Centenary Commemorations in Cork. In St Ann’s church, Dawson Street, Dublin, at 2pm the writer Julie Parsons will give a talk entitled From “‘Fine Cheerful Day, Good Congregation’ to ‘The Undiluted Celt, A Curse’”. This will be a reflection on the Easter Rising and its aftermath as observed and recorded by some Church of Ireland clergymen in vestry minutes, preachers’ books and parish magazines, and draws on extensive research in the RCB Library. This event is part of RTE’s ‘Reflecting the Rising’. Admission is free and booking is via the RTE website.
From Monday until Thursday the services in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, will be sung by the Choir of Guy’s Chapel, King’s College, London. There will be free lunchtime recitals in St Patrick’s next Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday featuring the Burnsville High School Choir, the Heritage Christian Choir and the St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir.
On Friday in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, the Morris Knolls High School Chorale from New Jersey begin a short Irish tour with a recital at 1.15pm.
The office of Choral Evensong will be reintroduced in St Ann’s church, Dublin, following Easter. It will take place each Wednesday at 5.30pm for an initial period of ten weeks. Further details and dates of the services will be available at www.stann.dublin.anglican.org
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’