THE Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, and his Church of Ireland counterpart, Dr Michael Jackson, are to lead a special ecumenical procession through the centre of Dublin today (Good Friday).
As part of events marking Good Friday, the two church leaders will join together and walk from Christ Church Cathedral, leaving at around 7.30pm following a prayer service.
They will then proceed to the Pro-Cathedral, arriving at 8pm.
The procession is the first of its kind in the capital, and participants -- including the two archbishops -- will take it in turns to carry a cross along the 2km route.
It was the brainchild of the two leaders, who said they wanted to establish an ecumenical event for the city on one of the most significant days in the Christian calendar.
"Our common witness to Jesus Christ is more necessary if we wish to be heard and appreciate and contribute to the common good of a society which is becoming increasingly secularised," said Dr Martin.
Dr Jackson encouraged "as many people as possible" to join them on the walk, adding: "It shares with the citizens of Dublin the conviction which both Archbishop Martin and I hold, that what unites us in Christ is more significant than whatever divides us."
Masses
Meanwhile, a number of dawn Masses will be celebrated around the country on Easter Sunday.
They include a sunrise celebration on Howth summit in north Dublin; Mass 2,600ft up on the peak of Mount Leinster in the Blackstairs Mountains on the Carlow-Wexford border and another on the Doolin Pier in Co Clare, overlooking the Cliffs of Moher.
The celebrations are part of a series of events and services marking Holy Week and Easter in dioceses.
Details can be found on www.catholicbishops.ie
In his Easter message, Dr Jackson said that this decade, which includes a number of major centenary commemorations, including the outbreak of World War One in 1914 and the Easter Rising of 1916, would ask "significant questions" about the maturity of modern Ireland on both sides of the Border.