The March Bells: Friday 3 March – Sunday 19 March
Listen as the Churches and places of worship in Armagh come together to symbolically celebrate our island’s patron saint by ringing their bells for a short time at 17:17 for the 17 days of the festival. This project is inspired by St Patrick’s own special bell and is a joyful means of uniting religious beliefs and different communities and individuals across the city of St Patrick.
St Patrick & The Book of Armagh – Cardinal O’Fiaich Library: Friday 3 March, 7pm
Tickets £6 Pre Booking essential through The Market Place Theatre
This talk by Roddy Hegarty will explore what the Book of Armagh tells us about St Patrick, by discussing the themes within and focusing on the earliest biographies of St Patrick. What do these tell us about the man, his mission in Ireland and importantly, his association with the city of Armagh. Light refreshments afterwards.
Cantabelles – St Patrick’s RC Cathedral: Friday 10 March, 8pm
Tickets £8 Pre Booking essential through The Market Place Theatre or Armagh Parish Office
A new and exciting vocal ensemble combining rich harmonies and sumptuous vocals to old classic and the more modern hymns. They will present a selection of uplifting liturgical pieces including St Patrick’s Breastplate, Ag Criost an Siol, Hail glorious St Patrick and many more. The evening which will reflect the life and mission of St Patrick will be presented in the beautiful transept of the Cathedral. During 2016 the group had the pleasure of performing with “The Priests” and they also recorded with BBC Radio Ulster.
Illumination – Toni Watts – St Patrick’s RC Cathedral: Saturday 11 March
Toni Watts is one of the few remaining professional manuscript illuminators working in the UK today. Drop in between 3pm and 6pm to see her demonstration taking place in magnificent spiritual surroundings, to watch her working on a page inspired by the Irish insular tradition using 24 carat gold leaf and traditional pigments. See how pigments were extracted from natural sources and how paint and ink were made.
An Evening with Patrick – The Navan Centre & Fort: Wednesday 15 March, 8pm
Free but booking essential through The Market Place Theatre
Armagh Cathedrals Partnership invite you to An Evening with Patrick at The Navan Centre and Fort, Armagh. In addition to some music, story, poetry and prayer, a guest speaker will invite those present to reflect on “Patrick and Ireland today”. It promises to be a very special evening as we celebrate the St Patrick’s Festival in Armagh. The guest speaker will be Archdeacon Gordon Linney and light refreshments afterwards.
St Patrick’s Lecture – The Market Place Theatre: Wednesday 16 March, 1pm
Free but booking essential through The Market Place Theatre
On the eve of St Patrick’s Day, the Primates of the two principal Churches in Ireland, Archbishop Richard Clarke and Archbishop Eamon Martin will speak about what St Patrick means to them in a modern world. In conversation with Tara Mills, the two will discuss how St Patrick’s words still resonate and have relevance for many of the challenges we face today. This year the lecture will explore the theme of Patrick The Exile.
St Patrick’s Vigil – St Patrick’s Cathedrals: Thursday 16 March
The Vigil will commence at the Church of Ireland Cathedral at 9pm where Archbishop Clarke will lead a prayer. Visitors will then be led by both Archbishops in torchlight to the Roman Catholic Cathedral where Archbishop Martin will conclude with a prayer. This symbolic expression of the unity of the Churches is a reflection of Patrick’s own journey of uniting the Irish people with Christianity. Light refreshments will be served in The Synod Hall after this event.
St Patrick’s Tea Party, The Synod Hall, St Patrick’s R.C Cathedral: Friday 17 March, 3 – 6pm Free admission
A special tea party to celebrate St Patrick in the lovely surroundings of this unique hall. Enjoy a special afternoon tea as well as a feast of Irish traditional music and song. People are encouraged to wear something green and come along and enjoy the afternoon’s festivities as we celebrate the feast of our national apostle and what’s a special day in our yearly calendar.
Throughout the country, churches are being asked to join the bell-ring if they can at the same time, or a time of their choosing on the day, and for as long as is practical in their circumstances. Churches that do not have bells may choose to plan a special prayer dedicated to building a culture of tolerance and love for immigrants and refugees or sing a suitable hymn at the end of their Sunday Mass.
The world ecumenical Joy Bells initiative which is being launched at Waterford’s Christ Church Cathedral on 19 March 2017 at 11.00 a.m. Irish time. The Church of Ireland Cathedral bells will peal for one hour to send a message of love and hope to refugees and immigrants everywhere and to counter the growing tide of intolerance.
For the fourth year, Pope Francis has asked that parishes organise a special time for Prayer and Confessions during the Season of Lent. He has suggested that parishes organise 24 hours for the Lord on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 March. The 24 hours for the Lord will take place in St Malachy’s Church, Armagh from 12noon until 12 midnight on the Friday and from 5am – 5pm on the Saturday. During the 24 hours, there will be special times of prayer and reflection. There will also be opportunities for Confessions during the 24 hours and people are encouraged to make a special effort in this season of Lent to celebrate the love and mercy of God.
Programme for the 24 hours for the Lord
Friday 24 March
12noon Midday Prayer
3pm Way of the Cross
7pm Evening Prayer and Benediction
7.30pm Mass
10pm Night Prayer
12midnight Rosary
Saturday 25 March
5am Rosary
7am Morning Prayer
12noon Midday Prayer
3pm Way of the Cross
4.30pm Evening Prayer & Benediction
5pm Exposition of Blessed Sacrament ends
From 12noon to 12 midnight on the Friday and from 5am to 5pm on the Saturday, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in St Malachy’s Church. The Adoration Room in St Malachy’s Church will be closed during these 24 hours! Confessions will be heard from after Mass on the Friday evening in St Malachy’s Church until 10pm and on the Saturday in St Malachy’s Church from 11am – 3pm.
Lent has traditionally been known as a time for fasting, a time to tame one’s body so that we may concentrate on higher things. The three spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving go hand in hand and the Church invites us to practise all three at this special time of year. Pope Francis reminds us that our fasting must never become superficial and he reminds us that Lent is a good time for penance and self denial and our Lenten activities must enrich others. He also challenges us by saying that if we’re going to fast from anything, we must fast from indifference towards others. As part of our special 24 hours, we might challenge ourselves to fast from something for those hours as a special offering to the Lord!
The Irish Augustinians are hosting a Vocation Weekend from Fri March 31 – Sunday April 2. This will be in their Drogheda Community and is open to any interested male over the age if 18. The Augustinians have been in Ireland close to 800 years and our charism is “community” as well as seeking God with a “restless heart”. For more information please contact Fr Colm O Mahony osa on 086 88 45 747 or augustinianvocations@hotmail.
Cappella Caeciliana conducted by Eamon Dougan in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on Sunday 9th April 2017 at 7.30pm. Join us for a programme of choral music including Faure’s Requiem and the Irish premiere of Stabat Mater by Alissa Firsova. Admission £10, students and under 25s free. Tickets from Armagh Parish Office (028 37522813) or Armagh Visitor Information Centre and www.caeciliana.org
Belfast Choir Cappella Caeciliana is delighted to announce that it will be joined by the internationally renowned musician Eamonn Dougan in a concert “ A View of the Cross” in St Patrick’s RC Cathedral, Armagh on Sunday 9th April at 7.30pm.
In the first half of the evening, Eamonn Dougan whose father was a native of Armagh, will conduct the choir in a programme of music for Palm Sunday and Holy Week, including various musical portrayals of Christ’s crucifixion. In the second half of the concert, Eamon and Cappella Caeciliana will be joined by an orchestra of leading musicians to perform the ever popular Requiem by Gabriel Faure.
Donal McCrisken who is the musical director of Cappella Caeciliana said “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Eamonn Dougan to present this programme of music for Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We’re looking forward to being joined by Alissa Firsova in the Irish premiere of her Stabat Mater, which is a wonderfully expressive and poignant composition”.
Tickets for this special event are available at Armagh Parish Office (028 37522813) or Armagh Visitors Centre. Students and under 25s will be admitted free.
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