Renata Steffens
Located in Co. Donegal, almost at the border with Tyrone and Fermanagh, St Patrick’s Purgatory, most commonly known as Lough Derg, is the “most hidden Irish Catholic church treasure,” according to James McLoughlin, a member of the Lough Derg team. Last Saturday, The Irish Catholic sent two reporters to discover the wonders of the island’s popular three day pilgrimage.
We were aware of the difficulties, and understood it is not a regular pilgrimage, but a type of penitence. What was surprising was the number of joyful faces we saw at our arrival on the second of the three days.
The pilgrims were in the middle of ‘The Vigil’ by the time our boat arrived at the island’s shore. At that point, they had spent a whole night praying, awake and fasting. They were completing the stations, a way of praying that requires physical effort by walking around on what they named ‘penitential beds’, which are rocky outdoor paths.
During our first hour on the island, Mr McLoughlin gave us a tour and explained a little about the island’s history. After the pilgrims’ ‘renewal of baptismal promises’ we had a chance to converse with Fr La Flynn, Prior of Lough Derg, and talk with some of the pilgrims in between their prayers.
They were lacking sleep, food, and walking barefoot on rocks. We were expecting to see suffering faces, however, everywhere we looked we could see someone smiling. The feeling of life appreciation and spiritual cleansing was nearly unanimous. “It gives me a boost” said one pilgrim, while another believes Lough Derg is “Heaven on Earth.”
Full story will be available in next week’s issue.