Throughout Europe in September, millions of Europeans will celebrate European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union, which aims to promote awareness of natural and cultural heritage, thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation.
In Ireland this takes the form of a heritage week beginning tomorrow and this is an initiative to which the participation of the Church of Ireland can make a valuable contribution
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, there will a series of lunchtime tours and lectures, beginning on Monday, which will deal with the idiosyncratic Victorian tiles, stained glass, bells, music and history, while today week there will be a belfry open day led by the ringing master, Mr Leslie Taylor.
Among the speakers will be Ms Johanna Wren, Mrs Lesley Whiteside, Ms Sue Hemmens and Mr Kenneth Milne. Details may be had from the cathedral website www.cccdub.ie.
In St Patrick's Cathedral there will be a series of evening events beginning on Monday with a special medieval pilgrimage service within the cathedral, involving a candlelit procession through the building, and concluding on Thursday with a lecture by Dr Michael O'Neill on the medieval cathedral. There will be guided tours each afternoon and an exhibition of vestments in the Lady Chapel.
St Dolough's Church, Balgriffin, reputed to be the oldest stone-roofed church in Ireland in continuous use, will be open for guided tours tomorrow, Wednesday and tomorrow week at 2 and 6 p.m. On Wednesday Dr Raymond Refaussé, Librarian and Archivist in the RCB Library, will give a lecture on "St Mark's Church and Parish" in Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street, beginning at 1.10 p.m.
Entrance to all these events is free and all are welcome.
On Wednesday evening in All Saints Church, Grangegorman, the Heritage Council will launch a new publication by Dr David Lawrence, The Care of Stained Glass. The launch will be preceded by a lecture by the author. Dr Lawrence's pioneering surveys of the stained glass of the Church of Ireland, which have been supported by the Heritage Council, have added immeasurably to our store of knowledge and promise to be an immensely important resource.
Today, the Friends of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, will have their annual outing which, this year, will be to Belvedere House, Mullingar, and Locke's Distillery Museum in Kibeggan.
The Bishop of Meath and the Bishop of Clogher will be in Milan for a four day conference on world peace organized by the Community of St Egidio. The Bishop of Clogher will speak on Monday during the session on "Peace and War in Northern Ireland: the Voice of Believers".
On Mondays in September and October the Divine Healing Ministries, headed by Brother David Jardine, have organized lunchtime services of Holy Communion with prayers for healing in St George's Church, Belfast, beginning at 1 p.m.
Christian Aid has announced details of a Dublin City Fun Walk which will be held on September 19th at 3 p.m. in aid of the poor overseas and to heighten the profile of Christian Aid. Mr Bryan Dobson, from RTÉ, will start the Fun Walk at St Ann's Church, Dawson Street, after which the participants will walk to five other city-centre churches.
Historical insights will be provided by the Methodist historian, the Revd Dudley Cooney, and there will also be a quiz. Details and sponsorship forms may be had from Mr Peter Byrne and Ms Gillian Stephens at the Christian Aid Office , 17 Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2 - (01-6110801).