By Noel Dundon
Relics of the True Cross of Christ, stolen from Holycross Abbey on October 11th last, will make a triumphant and emotional return to the historic place of worship on Sunday when a special Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at 11:00am, with the Abbey expected to be packed to capacity. The sense of utter desolation and dejection experienced in the parish, and indeed in surrounding parishes, when word of the theft became known, has been overcome by an overwhelming feeling of joy and appreciation of the efforts of An Garda Siochana who retrieved the relics after they have been discarded in the Midlands. The parish of Holycross Ballycahill had gotten its identity back and there was high praise for the huge publicity generated nationally and locally which certainly helped with the process of retrieving the relics.”We are planning to celebrate the return of the Relics and we have extended an open invitation to all to come along. Many people from Holycross parish and beyond have been praying for the return of the Relics and their prayers have been answered. We would be delighted to welcome all these people on Sunday and there will be plenty of refreshments after in the Community Centre thanks to the people of our parish who have volunteered their services. This will be a joyous day for Holycross and we are looking forward to it,” Fr Celsus Tierney told The Tipperary Star. The relics, a source of spiritual inspiration for thousands down through the decades were stolen from their display case in the Abbey on October 11th when armed and masked raiders cut through the steel casing with an angle grinder and made off with two priceless crosses. However, while the relics are priceless in terms of religious value and significance, their actual monetary value is quite small. Holycross Abbey will welcome the relics back home on Sunday morning next when Archbishop Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly reinstate them in a ceremony led by Rev Father Tom Breen, PP Holycross and Fr Celsus Tierney, CC. The place of worship will once again be enhanced by the presence of the relics which contain a piece of the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Also expected to be in attendance will be representatives of the St Joseph’s Cistercian Abbey in Roscrea in keeping with Holycross’ Cistercian links, and the Ursuline Order. The Abbey had been promised another relic from the Urusline Convent in Blackrock, County Cork following the theft. This announcement was made at Mass on Christmas Eve and was warmly received by parishioners. However, the very generous and decent gesture on the part of the Ursulines is thankfully now not necessary. The relics had been displayed in public for many years in a side Altar in Holycross Abbey, but this has now been reviewed in light of the theft. They have been seen and handled by thousands of pilgrims down through the years with the annual Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help resulting in flocks of people venerating the relics and blessing themselves with them. And, while the disappearance of the relics was a shattering blow to the local community, it did manage to bring it’s significance into the spotlight and helped reignite a sense of pride in Holycross and that which gives the parish it’s unique identity. There are many Holycross’ dotted around the country – but not with relics of the True Cross in situ.The relics will be housed in the same location in the Abbey but will now be safe and secure behind a bullet proof, alarmed glass casing, sunk into the thick supporting walls of the Abbey.