River of light as churches unite in procession

A LIVING river of light stretched from the junction of De La Warr Road and Church Street back to the door of St Peter's Church on Monday evening.

So many people from St Peter's and St Mary Magdalene's parishes had attended the joint service to mark the 150th anniversary of St Bernadette's visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes in 1858 that supplies of candles ran out and worshippers had to share hymn sheets.

"It does your heart good to see Anglicans and Catholics together like this," a participant commented as the procession wound its way from St Peter's to St Mary Magdalene's.

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The bells of St Peter's had rung out a welcome to parishioners of both denominations.

The Rector, the Rev Canon Dr Edward Bryant, was accompanied by Fr. Chris Spain and Fr. Thomas Swaffer from St Mary Magdalene's as he welcomed a congregation so big that many stood at the rear of the church with the choir.

Canon Bryant said he was delighted that the two church communities were able to come together to honour an event 150 years ago which had proved to be a spiritual inspiration and a source of healing ever since.

The church was largely in darkness except for candles around the statute of the Virgin until the progressive lighting of the candles which had been handed out as workshippers entered.

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Each candle was shrouded with a wind-shield printed with the Ave Maria, Pater Noster and Salve, Regina.

Once every candle had been lit, the procession formed up in church and, to the singing of the Ave Maria, began to move off towards St Mary Madgalene's, the statue of the Virgin being carried at its mid-point.

The evening ended with a reception at St Mary Magdalene's church hall.

Maria Bernada Soubirous was a miller's daughter, born in 1844. She saw the first of 18 visions on February 11, 1858.

After her death in 1879 her body remained "incorruptible." Lourdes became a major place of pilgrimage. Bernadette was canonised in December, 1933.