23.09.2016
Children to Make History at Dublin and Glendalough 800 Launch
School children from all over Dublin and Glendalough will help make history as they become part of the launch of the United Dioceses’ 800th anniversary celebrations. Dublin and Glendalough 800 will officially begin at the annual Diocesan Service for Pupils and Teachers of Primary and Junior Schools in Christ Church Cathedral on Thursday October 13 at 11.00 am.
The celebration of the 800th anniversary of the unification of the dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough will officially begin on that day and a programme of events will continue over the coming year. Up to 600 pupils from every primary school in the dioceses are invited to attend and each school will contribute to a time capsule which will be created on the day.
The theme of the service is Living History, Living God and the preachers will look at the history of Christianity over the last 800 years but also at how the children of today are making the history of tomorrow.
Archbishop Michael Jackson will preside at the service which will also be attended by the Anglican Bishops of the Dioceses of Spain and Lusitania (Portugal). The Anglican dioceses of Spain and of Portugal view the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough as their mother diocese dating back to Archbishop Plunket and Archbishop Gregg. The bishops will also attend Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Synods in Temple Carrig School, Greystones, on October 11. Their presence celebrates Dublin and Glendalough’s connections throughout the Anglican Communion and the Porvoo Communion of Churches.
Other events coming up for Dublin and Glendalough 800 include a visit of the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral to St Mary’s Church in Blessington on October 16. The choir will sing Evensong at 3.30 pm.
In November a week of events will take place around the feast of St Laurence O’Toole starting with an Ecumenical Festival Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday November 13 at 3.30 pm. People from throughout the dioceses will be invited to attend along with ecumenical and interfaith guests. The week will conclude with a special Come and Sing service in the cathedral on Sunday November 20 at 3.30 pm to which parish choirs will be invited to sing Evensong with the cathedral choir.
In between the two services will be a Week of Exploration of 800 Years featuring talks on the eight centuries of history of the dioceses an exhibition on St Laurence O’Toole and the launch of a new downloadable trail.A History of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough will be an image based trail of objects and places of historical significance, nominated by the people in the dioceses, that traverse and highlight urban and rural areas.
For information on the history of Dublin and Glendalough click here.
Photo caption: Children playing samba drums at a previous Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools.