Catholic saint's remains brought to Portsmouth
Church leaders have spoken of their 'great honour' as the remains of a Catholic saint are brought to Portsmouth.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to descend on the city on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of the casket containing the remains of St Therese of Lisieux – a French nun known as 'Little Flower'.
It will arrive in the port and will sit in St John's Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh Road for a night.
The following day the casket will go to Plymouth, and then be taken around Britain, before heading to Westminster and then back to Portsmouth in one month's time.
Canon Dave Hopgood, of Portsmouth Catholic Cathedral, said: 'It's a great honour, not just for Catholics and Christians but it's a great honour for the city too.
'We are very much looking forward to it. We are expecting a lot of people but it's open to anyone.
'People will come not just from our diocese but from the whole of the south of England.
'She was just an ordinary person who lived an ordinary life extraordinarily well. That's the attraction she has.
'She was one of the great saints. Wherever you live you have got pictures of family as tangible reminders and for us the saints are reminders of Heaven and our link to God.'
Her remains are scheduled to be escorted to Portsmouth by normal passenger ferry from France, and Canon Hopgood is expected to meet the casket at the port at 8am.
Liturgies involving Catholic schools in the area will be held from 9.30am in the Catholic Cathedral, with Mass at 2pm and 7.30pm, before an all-night vigil.
The Portsmouth Diocese covers Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and parts of Berkshire, Dorset and Oxfordshire.
TIMETABLE
Wednesday
9.30am: Bishop Crispian welcomes the Relics of St Thrse to the cathedral and leads the Opening Liturgy, involving local Catholic schools.
11am: Bishop Crispian celebrates a Liturgy involving representatives of all the Catholic schools of the diocese.
2pm: Bishop Crispian celebrates Mass with Anointing of the Sick, with representatives from parishes around the diocese.
7.30pm: Bishop Crispian celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving with Canon John Udris to preach (Dean of Northampton Cathedral).
10pm: Celebration of Night Prayer All-Night Vigil based on the Stations of the Cross celebrated by representatives from the Pastoral Areas of the diocese.
Thursday
7am: First Mass of the day.
10am: Farewell Mass and Departure of the Relics.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
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