Ancient Derry Belltower’s Call to Prayer rings anew
St Columba’s Day Vespers will be recited at the Medieval belltower in the grounds of Lumen Christi College in Derry.
The Long Tower Parish’s evening ceremonies for St Columba’s Feast Day (Tuesday, June 9) will begin this year with Vespers at the base of the Medieval belltower in the grounds of Lumen Christi College, in the city.
The rhythm of monastic life, indeed life in general, in Medieval Ireland was determined by the ringing of bells.
It’s no coincidence then, that the Gaeilge word ‘clog’ used for both clock and bell – shares a linguistic root with the Medieval Latin ‘clocca’ meaning bell.
For St Columba and his followers, Vespers was a cornerstone of daily prayer in monastic orders across Ireland, Europe and beyond.
The great monastic complex that encrusted the island hill of Daire Cholm Cille, would have been no exception - observing the Canonical Hours with both precision and fervour.
So it seems fitting that this year’s June 9th Feast Day should offer praise and thanksgiving to God for the day that’s in it and hope for tomorrow.
Where else than at the site of this once mighty belltower, the memory of which lives on in the name of Long Tower church and parish.
Ordained priests and deacons offer the Daily Office – as the name suggests, every day. But it is by no means confined to clergy. And in the Medieval world, lay people would have paused at the ringing of church bells, to pray – especially at the start and close of day.
‘This year’s June 9th Feast Day should offer praise and thanksgiving to God for the day that’s in it and hope for tomorrow’
Fr Gerard Mongan, Adm of St Columba’s Church Long Tower explained the significance of this inaugural blessing, ahead of evening Mass.
“The monk’s day was punctuated by prayer. They stopped what they were doing – working in the fields or herb gardens, beekeeping, scribing, cooking – whatever they were at, they stopped to make time for prayer,” said Fr Mongan.
“Vespers, like the rest of the canonical hours, was an extremely important part in the daily life of a monk in Early Christian Ireland and throughout the Medieval era,” he added.
"It is a practice St Columba would have observed and that would have been practiced across different monastic orders right across Europe.
“And so in a spirit of unity with our monastic forebearers – we will offer Vespers at the base of this holy belltower on Tuesday June 9th, shortly before the annual Rosary in Irish and the highpoint of our celebrations – Evening Mass at 7.30 pm – before the blessing of the Well.
“Beginning with Vespers at the tower base, we think of these time-honoured ceremonies as a call to prayer in the here and now.
“With that in mind, everyone is welcome to join us for Vespers at the tower site in the grounds of Lumen Christi College at 6.30 pm on the evening of June 9,” said Fr Mongan.
The car park at Lumen Christi College will be open from 6.00 pm.
If you are joining us for Vespers at the Belltower for procession to the church via Cooke Street gate, this is probably the easiest place to park. The side and main gates will be open until after 7.30 pm Mass.