Christian Heritage

Early Christian worship

Monasteries and early Celtic churches were built across Ireland in the centuries after Patrick's death. High crosses in Ardboe and Donaghmore, County Tyrone, Tynan in County Armagh and Kilbroney in County Down demonstrate ninth and tenth stone depictions of biblical scenes. There are monastery ruins in Nendrum, Inch Abbey and Grey Abbey. Nendrum was built in the fifth century. The sites of some present day churches and cathedrals were chosen as links to places of earlier Christian worship. Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh stands where Patrick's original church was built. The church in Saul is on the same site as Patrick's first church in Ireland.

But the mission was more than the construction of churches and crosses. The real legacy is realised in the success of the evangelising Irish Church. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.

Patrick's two contemporary disciples, Saint Tassach and Saint Olcan, are associated with counties Down and Antrim. Saint Tassach was a skilled craftsman who made crosiers, patens and chalices. Patrick appointed Tassach as Bishop of Raholp. Tassach gave Patrick the Last Rites before his death. The deathbed scene is poignantly captured in stained glass windows at Saint Tassach's Church and Saint Patrick's Church, Saul. Saint Olcan was ordained by Patrick in Dunseverick Castle and founded a monastery in Armoy. Near the ruins of Cranfield Church, Saint Olcan is believed to have blessed a well which people still visit for healing cures. Saint Comgall founded a monastery in Bangor, County Down, where he was abbot to three thousand monks.

He instructed the monks who went to France and also accompanied Colmcille on a mission to Inverness. Saint Colmcille who studied under Saint Finnian, founded monasteries in Londonderry, Durrow and Kells. As penance for a battle fought in his name, he went into exile in Iona. There he founded a monastery and later evangelised the Picts. Saint Laiserien, who was also known as Saint Molaise, was a sixth century hermit monk who established a monastery on Devenish Island in County Fermanagh.

During these centuries, Ireland was a centre of Christian learning and training for priests and monks. Highly stylised, ornate books of the gospels were created by monks in Armagh, Kells and Durrow. The Book of Armagh includes seventh century biographies by Tírechán and Muirchu of Saint Patrick. A replica of the book is on display in Saint Patrick's Trian, Armagh.

These apostles of Saint Patrick went out from Ireland and brought the Christian faith to Europe. Monasteries, churches and precious books of the gospels are reminders of an Irish Christian legacy which spread across Europe. With the advent of the invading, destructive Vikings, many of the missions to Europe ceased. When the Vikings reached Ireland in 795, they desecrated churches, burned religious books and pillaged monasteries. Viking rule ended at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. With the Norman invasion in 1169, the conquerors built new monasteries and abbeys to rival earlier centres of Christian worship. Monasteries were built by Normans at Inch Abbey and Grey Abbey in County Down. These ruins are close to Strangford Lough where Patrick first landed in 432.

The future?

The future of our Christian heritage is dynamic and filled with initiatives that are imbued with ecumenism, vision and hope yet sustained by history. Just such an idea is the Hope + History Initiative at May Street Presbyterian Church.

What is the Hope + History Initiative?

Many feel that cities are places where people go to make their mark – they are not places of community but arenas for self-seeking individuals. But cities should be places for all, places of community, places of culture and places of opportunity. Implicit in these words are themes of justice, equality, understanding, appreciation, freedom, support and encouragement.

This initiative derives its name from a work of Seamus Heaney entitled ‘The Cure at Troy’. Heaney’s words have been quoted by countless people, including President Clinton in the title of his autobiography and by U2 in their song ‘Peace on Earth’.

Whether you choose to side with the esteemed Nobel Laureate’s hopeful vision that a time will come when hope and history rhyme, or you believe the charismatic Bono is being realistic rather than cynical, there is no doubt these are powerful words that resonate.

In this context we hope and pray that this regeneration, this initiative, this place, will act as an intersection where people will encounter one another and learn to appreciate that not only do we share a rich history, but we share a city that hopes for a great future. For many that hope is rooted in their Christian faith.

The purpose of the Hope + History Initiative is to restore the church, provide modern adaptable space for use by church and community, as well as create an interactive interpretive centre and educational visitor attraction, city centre living accommodation, Head Quarters offices, state-of-the-art commercial facilities including offices, business technology and media centres and ancillary restaurants, coffee shops and retail/service units. The promoters want to undertake a development that marks out a special place, creates no precedent, has no comparator in Belfast and is a true international exemplar.

The mixed-use scheme will maintain the church in ecclesiastical use; provide new break-out, conference and counselling space for the Church – allowing it to function as a civic and cultural venue; and will provide a platform for a major new exhibition space – designed by one of the world’s most respected creators of interactive educational visitor attractions, Ed Schlossberg, who is particularly well known for his design of the American Family History Centre at Ellis Island and the memorial at St Paul’s at Ground Zero – www.esidesign.com.

This mix of church and civic function with city centre living accommodation, tourism assets, ancillary leisure and café facilities, shared service centre and state-of-the-art business space, all in a high quality integrated environment is a powerful expression of Barnabas Ventures’ ethos of city centre regeneration.

To ensure 24-hour activity and synergy of uses, and in no small part to pay for the non-commercial elements, the scheme includes office and private residential elements at upper levels.

A Tale of Two Churches in the Heart of the City

Initiative is supported by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment and the Department for Regional Development. This initiative started with an exhibition of the historic records and pictures of the Catholic St Malachy’s Church and May Street Presbyterian.

The exhibition toured Northern Ireland, displayed in public buildings and shopping centres. It has found a temporary home in the office of the Boys Brigade, however it is hoped that it may finally be more appropriately displayed in the hope + history centre – making it an ideal gateway to Linen Quarter and a sign post to encourage visitors to ‘take in’ St Malachy’s and the city’s other cultural assets.

In addition to the exhibition, the two churches participate in a regular community forum, attended by senior officials of the two Departments. Both churches host community events throughout the year and in particular at Halloween, Easter and Christmas. These events are well attended and popular with the local people, young and old alike.

In more recent times, following threats of closure because of a dwindling congregation during the troubles, the church has been reinvigorated through its city centre mission work which focuses on the key areas of community, commerce and those in crisis.

After an agonising period with no Minister, in 2003 the Presbyterian Church in Ireland innovatively enabled the installation of a Minister, the Reverend Keith Drury, on the basis that he has a dual role of Director of City Centre Mission in Belfast as well as his congregational duties.

Despite these recent positive changes, the Church is in dire need of restoration and, if the potential of the city centre mission work is to be realised fully, new facilities badly need to be added to serve the entire community.

(Acknowledgements to Northern Ireland Tourist Board and May Street Presbyterian)