On Thursday 21st December 2023 the ‘Peace Light of Bethlehem’ was collected from the Ecumenical Service of Reception in St Pat’s at DCU. The light will now be distributed in Mell, Tenure & Togher over the weekend.
collects the ‘Peace Light’.
Traditionally, in the early weeks of December, a small ceremony is held in the grotto of the church in Bethlehem. Today that area is in a conflict zone.
Instead the light was quietly taken from the grotto in Bethlehem, carried over the border, at the river Jordon and brought to Anman in Jordon, it was then flown to Austria.
On the 9th of December, it was distributed to scouts at a service in Vienna. It was then transported by car, bus and on foot through Austria, Switzerland and France and through the channel tunnel over to Dover in England.
The light was collected from Holyhead by 66th Dublin, Clontarf Scout group and taken over the Irish Sea with Irish Ferries back to Dublin for tonight’s ceremony.
It will now be taken by members of Scouting Ireland and guiding to all 4 provinces, to hospitals and Nursing Homes across the length and breadth of Ireland.
All lights that are lit from it, will be a sign of peace, in our towns and cities.
This candle is going to remain lit over Christmas Eve & Christmas Day for you to bring to your home, and with it, our prayer for peace in the Middle East and throughout the whole world.
Monasterboice Parish 