Religious services under way for Easter festival

Hundreds of religious services are under way around the State to mark the Easter celebrations.

Hundreds of religious services are under way around the State to mark the Easter celebrations.

At 5.40 a.m. on Easter Sunday, a ecumenical sunrise celebration of prayer, word and music will be held on Sandymount Strand in Dublin.

The Primate of All-Ireland, Archbishop Seán Brady, will celebrate the Lord's Passion at 3 p.m. today in St Patrick's church, Dundalk and will preside at the Easter Vigil tomorrow night and Easter Sunday Mass in St Malachy's Church, Armagh.

The Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell, will preside at the Easter Vigil in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral tomorrow night. The music will be provided by the Palestrina Choir, the Pro-Cathedral Orchestral Players and soloists Ms Kathleen Tynan and Ms Kim Sheehan.

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Cardinal Connell will also celebrate Mass on Easter Sunday morning at the Pro-Cathedral.

Today in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Liturgy of Good Friday and Preaching of the Cross will be conducted by Rev J.G.W. Dickie, chaplain of Marlborough School.

The Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, will preside over the Good Friday prayer and celebrate the Easter Sunday service in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh. The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey, will celebrate the Easter Sunday service in Christchurch Cathedral.

The names of all 3,600 of those who died in the Northern Ireland conflict will be read aloud at a special Good Friday ceremony in the Unitarian Church on Dublin's St Stephen's Green today.

Beginning at noon and following a moment's silence, it is expected the reading will be completed by 3 p. m.

The event marks the signing of the Belfast Agreement on Good Friday 1998, as well as the memory of all who died in the 30 years of conflict.

The list of names will be from the book Lost Lives compiled by David McKittrick, Séamus Kelters, Brian Feeney and Chris Thornton. All who wish to take part will be welcome.

Alison Healy

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times