A “festival of faith” is forecast for Clare this weekend as both the Catholic Church and Church of Ireland gear up for the most important period of the ecclesiastical calendar.
Both denominations are holding a host of events over the coming days to mark Easter.
With each day from now until Monday holding special significance for Christians, masses and celebrations are being held in places of worship throughout Clare.
Today, on Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper will take place in Catholic churches to commemorate the first Eucharist.
The stations of the cross and a commemoration of the Lord’s passion will be held in most churches from 3pm tomorrow for Good Friday, with outdoors stations of the cross happening in Cloughleigh Church in Ennis.
On Holy Saturday, confessions will be available for several hours in both the Ennis Friary and Cathedral while at 3:30pm at the latter location, the blessing of food baskets for the Polish community will be celebrated by Polish Franciscan Priest, Father Roch.
A key aspect of the calendar in Clare is the dawn mass which for the Ennis region will take place at 6am on Easter Sunday at the Quay in Clarecastle.
Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan says it’s a joyful event.
The Church of Ireland’s Easter weekend calendar will largely mirror that of the Catholic Church, with masses to be held across the few days.
Today, priests from across this diocese will gather in Limerick to re-commit themselves to their ordination vows.
Bishop of the Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe Diocese, Michael Burrows, will undertake a Good Friday piligrimage tomorrow.
The endeavour will see him visit 15 churches in 13 hours, travelling from Killala in Mayo to Kenmare in Kerry, starting at 8:30am and finishing at 10pm.
He says this will help him to “bind together” the vast jurisdiction.
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