Catholic and Church of Ireland archbishops to lead walk through Dublin

The Catholic and Church of Ireland Archbishops of Dublin will lead an ecumenical walk through the streets of Dublin tomorrow, Good Friday, evening. It is among many ecumenical events taking place to mark Holy Week and Easter in the coming days.

Inaugurated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Archbishop Michael Jackson last year, the walk will again begin with a prayer service in Christ Church Cathedral at 7pm. Both archbishops will then jointly carry the cross through the city streets to the Pro-Cathedral on Marlborough Street, where there will be a Taizé prayer service.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore will lead off a litany of Northern Ireland's 3,500 dead from the Troubles at the Unitarian Church on St Stephen's Green in Dublin. It begins at noon tomorrow and is the only religious service of its kind in Ireland. It has taken place annually since 2000. Everyone is welcome.

Also at noon tomorrow Archbishop Martin will lead the Way of the Cross ceremony in the Phoenix Park, an event organised by the Catholic lay group Communion and Liberation. Many hundreds of people take part every year, praying and reflecting on the stations of the cross from the Wellington monument and finishing at the papal cross. At 3pm tomorrow the archbishop will lead a Celebration of the Lord's Passion at the Pro-Cathedral with the Palestrina choir.

At 10am this morning in the Pro-Cathedral priests and representatives from every Catholic parish in the archdiocese will gather with Archbishop Martin for the annual chrism Mass, during which holy oils are blessed for the coming year and a renewal of priestly service takes place. The Palestrina choir will perform.

The choir will also take part in the Mass of the Lord's Supper there, also celebrated by Archbishop Martin, at 6pm this evening.

At 11am tomorrow a Maundy Thursday chrism eucharist service will take place at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. The Bishop of Tuam, Patrick Rooke, will lead the three-hour Good Friday service at St Ann's on Dawson Street, Dublin, from noon tomorrow.

At 7am on Easter Sunday on Killiney Hill parishes from Dalkey and Killiney will celebrate their annual Easter Sunday ecumenical service. An ecumenical “SonRise” celebration with the Revival gospel choir will take place at Arklow’s south beach from 6.30am.