AN EVENT unusual in Western Christianity will take place in Dublin when a service of reflection begins at Whitechurch Church of Ireland Church at 5pm today. It will be conducted by Canon Patrick Comerford, spiritual director of the Church of Ireland Theological College in Dublin. Generally, such services on Easter Saturday are more characteristic of the Eastern Orthodox churches.
An ecumenical celebration involving west Dublin Catholic and Church of Ireland parishes, as well as other churches in the area, will take place from 6am tomorrow at the Papal Cross in Dublin's Phoenix Park. This will involve prayers and songs around a wood fire in a brazier near the cross.
A similar ecumenical celebration will be held on Sandymount strand in the capital at the same time. It will be around a bonfire in front of the old swimming baths, with Sandymount, Donnybrook and Ringsend parishes joining together with other churches.
There will be a light breakfast afterwards in Sandymount Star of the Sea school hall.
Catholic Church services taking place over the weekend (details of minority church services are available on the inside back page) include the Easter Vigil, which takes place in Dublin's Pro- Cathedral at 9.30 tonight, when the chief celebrant will be Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
Mozart's Missa Solemnis in C K337 will be sung by the Palestrina Choir with the Orchestra of St Cecilia.
Archbishop Martin will also celebrate 11am Mass at the Pro-Cathedral tomorrow. Easter Vigil ceremonies in other Catholic cathedrals throughout the island will also begin at 9 tonight.
Easter Vigil Mass will be broadcast on RTÉ television from St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Starting at 11pm, the celebrant will be the Bishop of Ferns, the Most Rev Denis Brennan.
Fr Joe McGrath, parish priest of New Ross, will celebrate the 11.30am Mass in St Aidan's tomorrow, which will also be on RTÉ television. Both Masses will be broadcast online on RTÉ's website, www.rte.ie
This evening at 9 RTÉ Radio 1 will do a live broadcast of the Easter Vigil Mass from the Cathedral of Saints Patrick and Felim in Cavan town. The celebrant will be the Most Rev Leo O'Reilly, Bishop of Kilmore, who will celebrate the 9am Mass there tomorrow. This will also be broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1.
