The 22nd Annual Diocesan Good Friday Walk, a moving symbol of solidarity and spiritual reflection, will take place this Good Friday, April 3, beginning at 7pm from St. Canice’s Catholic Church.
This year’s walk will be led by Bishop Ger Nash and Father Willie Purcell, who will walk in solidarity with those who carry the cross of homelessness, war, famine, migration, trafficking, and abandonment in our world today.
A cross from the Holy Land will be given to each walker - all are welcome.
Organised by the Kilkenny Gospel Choir, this cherished tradition will wind its way down Dean Street, Parliament St, and up High Street, culminating in a powerful Taizé-style prayer service around the Cross at the Capuchin Friary Church.
This is the year of St. Francis of Assisi, dedicated by Pope Leo XIV.
In a moment of profound spiritual significance, a relic of the True Cross - bearing the original Vatican seal of authenticity - will be carried in procession and used during the prayer service.
This marks only the third time the relic will be used on Good Friday in Kilkenny.
Attendees will have the rare opportunity to be personally blessed with the relic, which is believed to have inspired many miracles over the years.
This year’s walk will also include participation from members of the Ukrainian, Indian, and Polish communities, reflecting a heartfelt call for peace and reconciliation across the globe.
“The annual Good Friday Walk is a symbol of our solidarity with those who suffer,” said Fr. Willie Purcell.
A large crowd is expected, and all participants are encouraged to join at the starting point at St. Canice’s Catholic Church.
The community is invited to walk together in prayerful silence, witness the relic, and take part in a unique and transformative act of faith.
For more information, please contact: kilkennygospelchoir@gmail.com