Carlow
 pilgrims 
attend
 ‘Hopping
Procession’ 
in 
honour
 of 
St 
Willibrord

Carlow
 pilgrims 
attend
 ‘Hopping
Procession’ 
in 
honour
 of 
St 
Willibrord Cross made out of palm fronds.

Last week Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg presented the specially commissioned ‘Relic of St Willibrord’, Patron Saint of Luxembourg, to Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin to honour the historical links between the town of Echternach in Luxembourg and Co. Carlow. St Willibrord is one of the most important saints in Europe, having spent 12 years in County Carlow being trained and ordained before he led a mission to the continent in AD690.

Both Bishop Nulty and CofI Bishop Michael Burrows led a joint ecumenical diocesan pilgrimage of nearly 60 people from Carlow to Echternach, to not only accept the relic but to also partake in the UNESCO World Heritage Status annual ‘hopping procession’ in honour  of St Willibrord.

St Willibrord’s Carlow connection had been forgotten for the most part, but through academic research by Professor Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, Department of History, NUI Galway over the past 30 years this connection has been re-established.

In 2002 Henri, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg paid a state to Ireland and in 2009 President Mary McAleese, as part of her state visit to Luxembourg, visited Echternach and spoke of the connection. Since then an active relationship has developed between organisations in both Carlow and Echternach in particular between the Willibrord Foundation and Carlow County Museum, operated by Carlow County Council. Over the coming weeks the museum will open a special year-long free exhibition about St Willibrord.

In late June, a group of 30 will travel from Echternach to Carlow and on June 24, as part of their stay, the relic will be walked in a public procession along the Barrow Way from St Laserian’s Cathedral, Old Leighlin (Church of Ireland) to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow (Roman Catholic) where it will be permanently housed.