History is made as Faithlegg Church turns 200
The sacred icon depicts the saint accompanied by Our Lord and Our Lady.
Find out the fascinating history of Faithlegg Parish this weekend, as the chronicled St Nicholas’ Catholic Church is hosting events for everyone to attend in celebration of its 200th anniversary.
Along with family events, St Nicholas’ Church will also be revealing a stunning icon of its patron saint commissioned from the Carmelite Nuns at Monastero Janua Coeli in Tuscany.
Learn from leading Waterford historian Julian Walton about the people behind the story of one of the Déise’s oldest-ever churches.
From the stories of the nearby ruined medieval church built by the Aylwards, and the saga of the Boltons, whose tombs lie within it, to the tale of the fascinating historic monuments in the graveyard, these celebrations are a must-not-miss for anyone interested in Waterford’s history.
It’s not all about ancient tales, Julian Walton’s talk at Faithlegg Parish will be followed by a barbecue (admission by ticket only) at Faithlegg House Hotel at 3.00pm.
This is a parish celebration, but not confined to those living in that part of the parish, so bring along your family and friends for this lovely community event.
Opened in 1824, the beautiful church was constructed at the expense of Nicholas Mahon Power, who had recently purchased Faithlegg estate from the Bolton family, who had gone bankrupt. Power was a generous Christian benefactor to charitable organisations and made significant donations to those in a less privileged position to himself. His good deeds included touching donations to religious orders, such as the Christian Brothers and to the Sisters of Charity.
Dedicated to its founder’s patron saint, the church has been missing a statue or image of Saint Nicholas of Myra. That is about to change, however - to mark the special celebration of the church this year, a beautiful icon of its patron saint has been commissioned by the parish from the Carmelite Nuns at Monastero Janua Coeli (Monastery of the Gate of Heaven) in Tuscany, Italy.
The sacred icon depicts the saint accompanied by Our Lord and Our Lady.
St Nicholas, who was bishop of Myra in modern-day Turkey, holds the Book of the Gospels in his left hand and holds his right in blessing. The icon will be blessed and consecrated by Bishop Cullinan during the Jubilee Mass before being hung permanently in the church as a memorial of this historic milestone.
The icon will be the second breath-taking addition to the church, alongside the magnificent stained-glass window at the east end of the church, depicting the Saviour and his parents, Our Lady and Saint Joseph.
The stained glass, was originally commissioned by Nicholas Power’s youngest daughter, Adelaide, as a memorial to her husband, the Former Mayor of Waterford, John Aloysius Blake.
With connections across the county of Waterford, the story of the notable parish of Faithlegg is sure to fascinate the whole family, so make sure to swing by their bicentennial celebrations this weekend!
