St Kilian's relics to arrive in Ireland via escort

Anticipation is building ahead of the arrival home of the relics of St Kilian to Mullagh tomorrow (Thursday).

The jewel-laden skull of St Kilian and his martyred colleagues - Saints Totnan and Kolonat - will travel from Dublin to Cavan and remain under escort until their return to Germany.

The major religious and civic event, organised in partnership between the Diocese of Kilmore, the Parish of Mullagh, and Cavan County Council, takes place over six days from October 1-6 in Ireland.

It is the first time the relics of St Kilian will have left Germany in 1,300 years. From October 1-2, they will remain with Bishops in Maynooth.

Independent Ireland councillor Shane P. O'Reilly, heads up the organising committee for the visit of the relics.

The Mullagh man was among those who collected the relics when they arrived to Rosslare last Tuesday, October 1.

Later today (Wednesday), October 2, to coincide with the Bishop's Conference that is currently taking place at St Patrick's Pontifical University, the relics will go on procession carried by seminarians in Maynooth and also by a group of trainee priests from St Kilian's College in Würzburg.

Over 400 people will attend that invitation-only event, before the relics travel to Cavan and to Mullagh tomorrow (Thursday), October 3, where they will be received by the people of Mullagh parish at 8pm at St Kilian’s Well.

The historic occasion will also see the welcome of over 100 pilgrims from the diocese of Würzburg, which each year celebrates the city’s Catholic heritage that started with St Kilian’s arrival circa 686 AD.

People are welcome to join in the procession from Mullagh Lake to Mullagh, with parking is available at St Kilian’s Church, and a shuttle available bringing people to the lake from 7:15pm.

“We're 10 years waiting for this to happen," says Cllr O'Reilly who notes that St Kilian's Church in Mullagh has been given a new lick of paint and the floors polished to a vibrant sheen.

The local church is, he says, now “fit for a saint”.

A liturgy, attended by the Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes, will take place at the St Kilian's Church followed by an all-night prayer vigil.

The event will be attended by local Oireachtas members and other diplomatic representatives from across Ireland and also governments abroad. In attendance too will be Cardinal Sean Brady, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Michael Router, Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy, along with Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg and Monsignor Jürgen Vorndran and Matthias Fleckenstein, chairman of the German-Irish Society.

Local parish priest, Fr Paul Prior, adds that there is “huge excitement” building in the parishes of Mullagh, Cross and across the Diocese of Kilmore.

When he speaks with the Celt, Fr Prior and others are in the process of directing workmen to place giant screens outside St Kilian's Church in Mullagh to cater for the large crowds expected to attend planned ceremonies in the village over the coming days.

“It's all housekeeping now, getting all that right. Screens, seats, marquees, all the extra preparations needed.”

He describes what is about to unfold with the return of the relics as an incredibly “momentous” occasion for the area.

“Momentous is the word, indeed it is. Once in a lifetime, perhaps never to be repeated in our lifetime. The testimony really of an enduring friendship between the people of Cavan, the Diocese of Kilmore, the Diocese of Würzburg, at every level, Church and State.”

He goes on to praise the involvement of the various stakeholder groups involved. “It's a collaboration of so many people. We started sometime after Christmas, early February, with sub-committees and a steering committee, and really it all came together quite wonderfully. We wanted to make this meaningful. We use that particular theme, 'Pilgrimage of Joy, Community of Hope', emphasising that this is something we have been working towards, and looking forward to.”

On Friday, October 4, a Dawn Mass will take place from 7am, and the church will remain open during the day for veneration until 6:30pm.

From 8-9pm a free evening concert at St Kilian’s Church in Mullagh will see the official launch of the new hymn for St Kilian, written and composed by Irish, singer-songwriter Fr Liam Lawton.

Saturday, October 5, will see a Community Procession of the relics from Edwin Carolan Park to St Kilian’s Church by parish clubs, groups and organisations. Starting at 10:45am, the public are invited to gather on Main Street and Virginia Road and follow the procession to the church where, at 12 noon, a Commemorative Mass will be celebrated for invited guests and pilgrims from the diocese of Wurzburg.

This Mass will be screened in an adjacent marquee as in Cross Church to enable everybody’s participation. Those in cars in Mullagh can tune in to 87.6FM to hear the broadcast or watch online.

This will be followed by refreshments at The Old School from 1:30pm, before the relics are venerated in St Mary’s Church in nearby Cross from 3:30pm.

Afterwards the reliquary will make its way to Cavan Town via Virginia, Lavey, and Killygarry, where from 5:30pm the relics will be welcomed at the Cathedral of Ss Patrick & Felim Cavan.

A diocesan youth celebration of Mass titled 'Sailing with St Kilian' begins at 7:30pm; and the cathedral will remain open for the veneration of the relics until 10pm. This will be attended by 45 members taking part in a youth pilgrimage from Würzburg.

Sunday finally, October 6, will see the visitation of the sacred relics conclude with a Mass of Thanksgiving from 10am.

“The work that's gone on, behind the scenes especially, by so many people. It cannot be underestimated,” says Cllr O'Reilly. “This has been a mammoth undertaking, an enormous responsibility, a feat I don't think will be repeated in my lifetime at least. There has been people in the parish of Mullagh who have put their blood, sweat and tears into making this visit happen, and making sure that it is the success that it is going to be.”

He concludes by saying commending the county for opening its arms in terms of hospitality.

“Absolutely unbelievable,” Cllr O'Reilly enthuses. “The hotels, the guesthouses, and everybody in between. They have been incredibly accommodating, and I think it stands to this county and its people, how we can come together as one and commemorate a shared legacy with the people of Würzburg, that of a man that has transcended generations in the way St Kilian has."