St. Patrick's Purgatory
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St. Patrick's Purgatory |
Tel/ Fax: 353+ (0) 7198 61518 |
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Lough Derg- Ireland's Most Ancient Place of Pilgrimage
Saint Patrick with boat Roman Catholic but open to all. Lough Derg has been a place of pilgrimage since the eleventh century. Ten centuries forward, it continues to draw pilgrims from Ireland and beyond, providing them with a sanctuary away from their busy lives, allowing them to rediscover the taste of a more human pace of living, finding time for body and soul. The lake-island pilgrimage site is known as St Patrick's Purgatory because of the association with St Patrick and the penitential exercises undertaken there. Pilgrims arriving between 1st June and 15th August each year undertake the Three Day Pilgrimage. This Pilgrimage Exercise, largely unchanged for the past 200 years is a form of physical prayer rooted in Celtic tradition which involves walking in bare feet, circling the penitential beds which are the remains of beehive cells inhabited by the monks in earlier centuries, fasting and a 24 hour Vigil. However Lough Derg is no longer just about penance and suffering. The exercises and their actions allow the pilgrim to slow down, to centre oneself, to get to know the real self, and by doing this find or rediscover God. Pilgrims come from not only Ireland but from all over the world. In 2005, they travelled from 37 different countries.
If the traditional pilgrimage does not sound like your 'cup of tea', then perhaps a one-day retreat might suit you better. Introduced in 1992, these guided retreats do not involve fasting or walking bare foot, and are offered during the months of May, second half of August and September. More recently Quiet Days have been offered which are a non directed day- a time for you to come and be by yourself for a while, enjoying the sanctity and peace of the island. Both One Day and Quiet Days include tea and scones upon arrival and lunch of soup and sandwiches.
Lough Derg opened Davog House in 2005, a beautiful stone building overlooking the lake, fully equipped to cater for small or large retreats. There are audiovisual equipment, a large conference hall, and smaller meeting spaces. School and youth groups as well as adult groups can all avail of this state of the art facility.
Although perceived as a Catholic place of Pilgrimage, Lough Derg is open to all faiths and none, where each pilgrim shares each other's journey. In many ways it is a place apart-in today's modern world where everything is fast, instant-Lough Derg still manages to maintain a pace where people have to move slower, where the mind can be stilled. Given that it has survived for over a thousand years, that it continues to attract pilgrims and give them hope, there is nothing to suggest that it will not be here in another thousand years. Lough Derg Open: April to October. Closed in winter. Receives men, women and those over 15. Not suitable for children. For more information or to make a reservation: Tel: +353 719861518 or email info@loughderg.org Website: www.loughderg.org |
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