President invited to relics return

PLANS Bejewelled skull of St Kilian set to come to Mullagh later this year

Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins, the office of An Taoiseach, and several more heads of State have been invited to witness the return of the sacred relics of renowned seventh century Irish martyr Saint Kilian to Ireland later this year.

The arrival of the relics for six days from October 1-6, including to Mullagh and Cavan Town, will bring full circle a remarkable legacy stretching back nearly 1,400 years. It will also mark the first time the relics of a martyred Irish saint have visited homesoil from abroad.

This major religious and civic event is being organised in partnership between the Diocese of Kilmore, the Parish of Mullagh, and Cavan County Council.

The historic pilgrimage will involve the visit of Saint Kilian’s relics, along with those of his martyred colleagues - Saints Totnan and Kolonat - from their resting place in the crypt... of Würzburg Cathedral in Germany to Ireland.

The relics consist of three skulls inlaid with precious stones, contained in a specially preserved glass case. It will be the first time that they will have left Germany.

An event will take place later today (Wednesday), February 28, at Saint Kilian’s Heritage Centre, Mullagh, confirming details of what is being prepared.

Present will be Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes; Father Paul Prior, Parish Priest of Mullagh; Eoin Doyle, CEO Cavan County Council; Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly, chair of the Relics Visitation Committee; Madeline Mellett, board member of Saint Kilian’s Trust and Patricia Sheridan, member of the Visitation Steering Committee.

Born in Cloughbally in 640AD, St Kilian is said to have received his religious training at a monastery in Rosscarbery, Co Cork, before founding his own ecclesiastical settlement where he trained fellow monks and planned for a mass pilgrimage from Ireland.

Their journey took St Kilian and his followers to Germany, to Franconia and modern day Bavaria, where they established a commune in Würzburg circa 686AD.

It was there, while spreading the word of Christianity, that St Kilian and two companions - Colman and Totnan - were killed in 689AD.

Each year the city of Würzburg hosts a two-week event in July called the Kiliani-Volksfest, one of the largest and most popular festivals in the region, attracting visitors from all over the world. The festival, which celebrates the Catholic heritage that started with St Kilian, includes the relics being carried through the street on procession.

During the course of the relics’ visit to County Cavan, a number of religious ceremonies will take place both in St Kilian’s Church, Mullagh, and in the Cathedral of Saints Patrick and Felim in Cavan Town.

Looking forward to the visit, Bishop Hayes said in a statement: “We anticipate - with great excitement in the parish of Mullagh and Kilmore Diocese - receiving the relics of Saint Kilian who left Mullagh 14 centuries ago.”

He added his belief that this “significant visit” will help further “consolidate the faith and friendship” between the Diocese of Kilmore and Wurzburg that has “grown over the years”.

“The visit will also be a wonderful opportunity for prayer and celebration in Mullagh and throughout our diocese. The planning is the culmination of more than 10 years of work to secure the necessary permission to bring these sacred relics overseas for the first time, and it represents a historic moment for the Christian faithful in both Germany and Ireland,” said the bishop.

Along with people and clergy from across the diocese, Bishop Franz Jung of the Diocese of Wurzburg and Monsignor Jurgen Von Dran will lead a pilgrimage from Germany of parishioners, church and civic delegates.

Chair of the Relics Visitation Committee, Cllr O'Reilly told the Celt that discussions facilitating the return of St Kilian's relics to Mullagh began in 2014 when, as Cathaoirlech, he first visited Wurzburg with then Director of Services Mr Doyle.

Their attempts received a major boost in 2019 when President Michael D. Higgins, visiting Würzburg, met with a delegation from Cavan, and offered his support for a possible homecoming.

Cllr O'Reilly explained that, on October 1-2, the plan is for the relics to remain with the Bishops and senior clerics of Ireland in Maynooth.

On October 3, the relics will then arrive in the late afternoon to St Kilian's Well outside Mullagh and, from there, will be escorted by procession to St Kilian’s Church, passing by the ancient site of Teampaill Cheallaigh, the first church built in the parish, and St Kilian's Heritage Centre also.

The hope is that the relics will be carried across the threshold into the church by parishioners.

An all-night vigil at the church will be followed by a special event on October 4 involving all Confirmation classes within the Diocese of Kilmore.

Saturday, October 5, will meanwhile be marked by a 12 noon Mass, following another procession of the relics.

In addition to heads of State, a number of ambassadors to governments around the world have also been invited. They include the American Ambassador to Ireland, Claire D. Cronin; from Germany, Cord Meier-Klodt; and also the Irish Ambassador to Israel and formerly Turkey, Sonya McGuinness, a native of nearby Maghera.

Religious leaders will be invited to attend as well, to include Archbishop Eamon Martin, Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy, and Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh, Michael Router.

On Saturday evening, the relics will travel to the Cathedral in Cavan, via Cross Church, and the parishes of Lurgan, Killinkere and Lavey, for a vigil mass, with a further ceremony planned the following day, Sunday, October 6.

Cllr O'Reilly credited Mullagh parish priest Fr Paul Prior, his predecessor Fr John Gilhooley, and Mons Von Dran for their respective roles in making the return possible.

He also paid tribute to Collette Herrman (nee Duggan) from Ballyhaise, now Kurnach, for her work in helping stoke the fires of friendship between the German municipality and Cavan.

“There has been a lot of co-operation, a lot of sleepless nights, and an awful lot of persuasion.”

He went on to stress the importance of what is planned to take place.

“It's been 1,400 years since St Kilian's presence was last felt on Irish soil, and after all that time he's now coming home, and with the two men he left with, Totnan and Kolonat. People talk about St Brigid, and St Patrick, and whoever else, even St Oliver Plunkett. But this is actually an Irish saint, his relics, coming home from a foreign country, the first time this has ever happened, and he's one of our own.”