15.11.2018
Heart of Dublin’s Patron Saint Back on Display in City’s Spiritual Heart
The heart of St Laurence O’Toole went back on permanent public display in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday (Wednesday November 14).
Dublin’s Church of Ireland and Catholic Archbishops, Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, attended a special ecumenical service of dedication and thanksgiving marking the historic occasion.
Archbishop Michael Jackson, first blessed and dedicated the redesigned cathedral grounds incorporating the beautiful new stone labyrinth. Following this he presided at a service of Festal Choral Evensong, sung by the Cathedral Choirs accompanied by Christ Church Brass, during which he blessed and dedicated the new resting place of the heart of St Laurence.
The heart of the Patron Saint of Dublin is now housed in the cathedral’s north transept in a specially designed art piece, crafted by the renowned Cork–based artist Eoin Turner.
Speaking during the service, Dean Dermot Dunne outlined the background to the redevelopment of the cathedral grounds which has been undertaken as part of Fáilte Ireland’s Dubline tourism project. He paid tribute to Fáilte Ireland for their grant for the project and to the team at Dublin City Council for overseeing it. He said his wife Celia was responsible for the idea of a labyrinth. The Dean paid particular tribute to the project foreman, Paul Gough, who carried the central stone of the labyrinth from the cathedral to be put in place by the Dean following the dedication of the grounds.
The Dean also thanked members of An Garda Síochána for their persistence in investigating the theft of the heart and for bringing it back to the cathedral.
“There are so many things coming together today for the cathedral that it is almost impossible to highlight any single one. But there is a common theme running through our celebrations. With the installation of the ancient labyrinth Christ Church is identifying itself as a place of pilgrimage. The cathedral is already a stamping station for the Irish leg of the Camino de Santiago and with the inclusion of the labyrinth, it is demonstrating that not only is it a way mark on the Camino but it is also a place where the pilgrim can engage in an on the spot pilgrimage centred on the heart of the city’s patron,” Dean Dunne stated.
He added: “Christ Church is the spiritual heart of Dublin. With the return of the Heart of St Laurence, the patron of Dublin, an eternal light will flicker over the heart as a sign of blessing of permanency for the city of Dublin. Here, in what is probably the oldest structure in this city, the heart of the city pulsates. Its ancient history informs its present setting and draws the pilgrim, whether local or international, into the sacredness of this space”.
The heart relic was stolen from the cathedral in March 2012 from the iron–barred cage on the wall of the Chapel of St Laud, which had been its resting place for many years. Following a long–running investigation, the heart was recovered, undamaged, by An Garda Síochána. After a six year absence, it was officially handed over by Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy to the Archbishop of Dublin at a service of Choral Evensong on April 26 this year.
