People from around the world who have made Dublin their home in recent years will be central to New Year celebrations in St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral over the next week.
For the first time, the Marionette puppet Theatre from Prague will present the “Christmas Story” in the Pro Cathedral on January 4th and 6th at 3pm. The company will also put on a special performance for the people of Malahide in St. Sylvester’s Church on January 5th also at 3.00 p.m.
In a poignant reflection of our current times, two of those involved in bringing the theatre to the Pro-Cathedral will return home to Prague with the group, having emigrated here two years ago. Jacob and Christina Lendvay had both been living and working in Dublin – Christina’s father is director of the Marionette Company. Both Christina and Jacob will be returning to the Czech Republic with the group when this New Year celebration in Dublin is complete.
This special performance of the Christmas story is aimed mainly at young children but is sure to be enjoyed by adults also. It is the first time the Marionette company has brought their work to Dublin.
On Epiphany Day – January 6th — hundreds of people are expected to attend the 4th Annual Festival of Peoples. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin at 8pm in the Cathedral. Members of new communities throughout the city will be taking part, including Romanian singer, Mihaela Chirvase who now lives in Dublin and is a member of the National Chamber Choir and the Diocesan Music Group. Another member of the Group, Fr. Marino, is a Spiritan priest from the Cameroon, who is now working in the parish of Bawnogue in Clondalkin
Epiphany Day is also the final day for the unwanted gifts campaign at the Pro- cathedral. For the fourth year in a row the response has been tremendous with thousands of gifts for the homeless community being left at the crib.
Crosscare the social care agency of the Diocese distribute the gifts to people in their homeless services throughout Dublin.
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