13.05.2025
Joint Pilgrimage Marks 800th Anniversary of Canonisation of St Laurence O’Toole
A joint pilgrimage for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin and Church of Ireland Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in honour of St Laurence O’Toole, the Patron Saint of Dublin, whose seat as Archbishop of Dublin (in 1162) was in Christ Church Cathedral took place over the weekend.
The pilgrimage left Dublin Airport on Saturday morning (May 11) led by the two archbishops, Archbishop Dermot Farrell and Archbishop Michael Jackson. Significantly, both the rector and the parish priest of Castledermot, where Laurence O’Toole was born, were participants in the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims’ first stop was in the cathedral of Rouen where they were guests of the Archbishop of Rouen. The highlight of the visit was Vespers in Rouen Cathedral at which Archbishop Jackson was President.
They travelled to Eu in Normandy, where Laurence died in 1180, early on Sunday. They were received by the Mayor and participated in the Eucharist on Sunday morning in the Collegiate Church of St Laurence where the pilgrims were joined by the Irish Ambassador to France Mr Niall Burgess and his wife.
This commemorated the 800th anniversary of the Canonisation of Laurence O’Toole.In the afternoon they joined a procession of the relics of St Laurence at Vespers and went from there to the hillside chapel overlooking Eu and the sea where, as they are told, Laurence on his way to negotiate with King Henry II, looked out over Eu and said it was where he wished to be laid to rest. And so it happened.
Monday gave the group an opportunity to tour the Chateau d’Eu and to consolidate friendships with the citizens of Eu.
“The group returned home late on Monday evening happily satisfied by how generously we had been received, by how our ecumenical horizons had been broadened and by how committed the people of Eu are to the living memory of Laurence – a saint for reconciliation of the powerful, for simplicity of life and for compassion for the disadvantaged,” Archbishop Jackson commented.
The Archbishop thanked Father Ivan Tonge, PP of Ringsend, Dean Dermot Dunne and all who organised the trip. He also paid tribute to his fellow pilgrims.In 2028 the people of Dublin will mark both 900th anniversary of birth of Laurence O’Toole and the millennium of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
