Derry's Catholic and Protestant clergy to jointly lead first St Columba celebration
Ministers and priests from the city’s Protestant and Catholic churches will be gathering together this Sunday, June 8 as members of the city’s Columban family in celebration of our patron saint.
A short prayer service will be staged at 4pm in the grounds of St Augustine’s Church of Ireland, and will be led by the Catholic Bishop of Derry, The Most Reverend Dr Donal McKeown.
Other city ministers and their congregations will also be in attendance, including The Venerable Robert Miller, Archdeacon of Derry, The Very Revd. Raymond Stewart, Dean of St Columb’s Cathedral, Revd. Father Gerard Mongan, Capt. Sharon Stevens, Revd. Peter Morris and Revd. Nigel Cairns.
"Christians of all denominations are invited to join this united service in honour of the abbot, saint and scribe who founded the city,” a spokesperson for the organisers said, adding that they are hopeful this will be an annual addition to the city’s Columban traditions.
“The service will incorporate a choral metrical version of the 6th Century prayer attributed to St Columba - ‘Alone with none but Thee My Lord’. Members of the various church choirs will combine to lead the singing, and it is hoped everyone will join a swell of voices in honour of our founding saint and the transformative work he undertook especially in bringing an end to violent tribal conflicts in both Ireland and Scotland."
Excerpts from the ancient poem, Amra Cholmcille or Dallan’s Eulogy - known in its original forms in both Scots-Gallic and Irish – will also be read.
The spokesperson added: “St Augustine’s has been identified by archaeologists as the site where Columba founded his first church, Dubh Regles, on an island hill thick with oak. Therefore, this is a very apt place for such an occasion. It is also a mid-way point on the pilgrim pathway that links two fossilised trackways leading onto the Long Tower precinct that may also date to the Medieval era.
“Representatives of the participating churches note that as Christians in and of these islands, we share a deep faith heritage. While narratives around church dates, foundation sites, buildings and theology may vary, the Christian story has been told here continuously for more than 1,500 years and remains part of the fabric of this city in faith and in culture.”