06.07.2019
New Day for Diocesan Pilgrimage – Journey Together on the Glendalough Camino
The annual diocesan pilgrimage, the Glendalough Camino, will take place on Saturday September 14. The Camino has been growing from strength to strength and over 100 people joined the full pilgrimage from Hollywood to Glendalough along St Kevin’s Way last year.
The pilgrimage has traditionally taken place on a Sunday but has been moved to a Saturday this year following feedback from clergy of the dioceses. The new day will facilitate clergy taking part in this diocesan event with their parishioners.
Author Sally Welch describes pilgrimage as “a meaningful journey to a sacred place”. She continues: “The essence of pilgrimage is a journey made in a spirit of searching with an openness to what the journey can teach”. Clergy from all over Dublin & Glendalough are invited to bring parishioners or encourage parishioners to attend. Clergy may even like to devise reflections to support parishioners in their searching and learning on the day.
As usual pilgrims have two options. They can either undertake the full Camino route from Hollywood to Glendalough, a distance of 30 kilometres, or they can join shorter routes from the Wicklow Gap down to Glendalough, or around the monastic city itself. All participants on all the routes are invited to attend the short closing service which takes place at the stone ring fort on the shores of the Upper Lake in Glendalough at 5pm.
Those undertaking the full pilgrimage should allow six hours to complete the route. A pilgrim’s blessing will be given in the ancient St Kevin’s Church in Hollywood at 9am on Saturday morning after which they will set out. A bus will be provided to bring people back to Hollywood. Those wishing to avail of this bus service must register and provide contact details before departing.
Pilgrims planning to walk from the Wicklow Gap or around Glendalough may depart from St John’s Church in Laragh which acts as a hub for the Camino throughout the day. Parking will be available locally and there will be a bus to bring people to the Wicklow Gap or the Monastic City at regular intervals throughout the day.
A full timetable will be available on the diocesan website at www.dublin.anglican.org/about-us/camino-de-glendalough nearer the time. Updates will also be available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DublinandGlendalough
There has been an upsurge in interest in pilgrimage in recent years as people search their very busy lives for meaning. Last year people took part from all over Ireland with many undertaking the Glendalough Camino to count towards the completion of their Compostela. St Kevin’s Way is one of the recognised Celtic Camino routes and those planning to walk the Camino de Santiago can get their Camino Passports stamped at the beginning and the end of the day.