Begin St Patrick’s Day at historic Saul Church
Where better to begin your St Patrick’s Day than at the site of Patrick’s first barn church?
The atmospheric bustle of Down Cathedral comes later in our diocesan celebrations, but we always begin with Holy Communion in the quietness of Saul.
Buses leave from The Mall between 8.15 and 8.45am for the service at 9.15am when the preacher will be Mr Ian Bingham, Director of CARE in Northern Ireland.
It’s a small church and some pilgrims may have to stand outside, so wrap up well. You can warm up by joining us on the prayer pilgrimage to Down Cathedral!
If you are not taking part in the pilgrimage tea and coffee are served in the church hall. Please note that the last bus from Saul to Down Cathedral leaves at 10.40am.
The Prayer Pilgrimage
We’re delighted that Laurence Bellew (CA) will lead the prayer pilgrimage to Down Cathedral this year. Laurence is Minister-in-charge of Stormont Parish and as we stop at various points along the way, he will guide us to pray with our theme - ‘Courage in the Line of Fire’ – in mind.
The route is two miles long and, joined by pilgrims of all denominations and nationalities, we are piped out of the grounds of Saul Church at approximately 10.15am. The piper joins us again at the top of the Mall and leads us into Down Cathedral narthex.
A number of seats are reserved for those on the pilgrimage.
If you’re not attending Holy Communion but want to join the pilgrimage, you can catch a shuttle to Saul from The Mall, the latest leaving at 9.45am.
Festival Service
The Festival Service is an unforgettable occasion with a Celtic flavour. Our speaker for 2026 is Dr Päivi Rasanen, an eight-term member of the Finnish Parliament, the former chairperson of the Christian Democrats and Minister of the Interior. She is a medical doctor and has also published several books, where she reflects deeply on major questions of life and society, such as values, ethics, and faith.
Päivi has become known for her courageous defence of free speech and recently testified before US Congress about her six-year-long criminal prosecution for tweeting a Bible verse under Finnish “hate speech” law. She and a co-defendant have twice been acquitted, but await the ruling of the Finnish Supreme Court. Päivi will preach from Acts 5 at the Festival Service.