Standing in front of St Willibrord's shrine in the Basilica of St Willibrord, Echternach in Luxembourg in May were Jean McDonald, Ireland's ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, mayor of Ville d'Echternach Carole Hartmann, Patrick Dondelinger, Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, cllr Andrea Dalton, cllr John Murphy and Dermot Mulligan, curator of Carlow Museum

To commemorate the feast day of St. Willibrord, Patron Saint of Luxembourg today, 7th November, a lecture will take place in St Laserian’s Cathedral, Old Leighlin, County Carlow Ireland.

It is hosted by St Laserian’s Cathedral and is co-ordinated by Carlow County Museum in partnership with the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, the diocese of Leighlin and Carlow Co Council.

In AD 690 Willibrord led a successful mission from Carlow, made up of Irishmen and Englishmen.

He spent his initial period in and around Utrecht in the Netherlands. Later in AD 698 he established his most important abbey in the town of Echternach, present day Luxembourg’s oldest town.

As part of the abbey, he established a very important scriptorium and for a considerable period the Abbey produced many of the bibles, psalms and prayer books that are to be found today in the great libraries of Europe.

It is likely that the first generation of these scribes were from County Carlow or had trained here. From Echternach he continued to co-ordinate missions to the surrounding countries until AD 739, when he died aged 81 on November 7th, ever since celebrated as his Feast Day.

He is buried in Echternach; is the only saint buried in Luxembourg and veneratred especially by our Consoeurs and Confrères from the Lieutenancy of Luxembourg including His Excellency Jacques Klein Lieutenant; Grand Prior Rév.me Mgr. Fernand Franck and his Eminence Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich S.J.

A relic of St Willibrord statue was presented to the Most Reverend Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, by the Most Reverend Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg (now Cardinal Hollerich), in the Basilica of St Willibrord, Echternach, Luxembourg, on Monday June 5th 2017 which is on permanent display in Carlow Museum.

Standing in front of St Willibrord's shrine in the Basilica of St Willibrord, Echternach in Luxembourg in May were Jean McDonald, Ireland's ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, mayor of Ville d'Echternach Carole Hartmann, Patrick Dondelinger, Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, cllr Andrea Dalton, cllr John Murphy and Dermot Mulligan, curator of Carlow Museum
Standing in front of St Willibrord’s shrine in the Basilica of St Willibrord, Echternach in Luxembourg in May were Jean McDonald, Ireland’s ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, mayor of Ville d’Echternach Carole Hartmann, Patrick Dondelinger, Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, cllr Andrea Dalton, cllr John Murphy and Dermot Mulligan, curator of Carlow Museum. Full article here.
St Willibrord is the Patron Saint of Luxembourg and the First Apostle of the Netherlands. He is buried in the Basilica of Echternach, Luxembourg, which is the centre of his major continental monastery. Located near in the townland of Garryhundon, Co Carlow, is the archaeological site Rath Melsigi (not publically accessible without the landowner’s permission). During the seventh and eighth centuries this site was the most important Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical settlement in Ireland. It was here from 678AD to c. 720AD that Willibrord and many other Englishmen were trained for the continental mission.
St Willibrord is the Patron Saint of Luxembourg and the First Apostle of the Netherlands. He is buried in the Basilica of Echternach, Luxembourg, which is the centre of his major continental monastery. Located near in the townland of Garryhundon, Co Carlow, is the archaeological site Rath Melsigi (not publically accessible without the landowner’s permission). During the seventh and eighth centuries this site was the most important Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical settlement in Ireland. It was here from 678AD to c. 720AD that Willibrord and many other Englishmen were trained for the continental mission.
Read more from the Carlow County Museum website.
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Photo credits

Archbishop Hollerich presenting Bishop Nulty with the Relic of St Willibrord. Photograph: Willibrordus-Bauverein

Standing in front of St Willibrord’s shrine in the Basilica of St Willibrord, Echternach in Luxembourg in May were Jean McDonald, Ireland’s ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, mayor of Ville d’Echternach Carole Hartmann, Patrick Dondelinger, Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, cllr Andrea Dalton, cllr John Murphy and Dermot Mulligan, curator of Carlow Museum.

Photo credit: Carlow Nationalist

Edited Extract from the Litany of St. Willibrord:

Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Christ, hear our prayer. God the Father in heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

  • St Willibrord, pray for us (repeat after each line)
  • St Willibrord, Guiding Light of the Church,
  • St Willibrord, founder of monasteries and churches,
  • St Willibrord, promoter of progress and knowledge,
  • St Willibrord, teacher of truth,
  • St Willibrord, passionate interpreter of the teaching of Christ,
  • St Willibrord, ceaseless proclaimer of the Holy Gospel,
  • St Willibrord, teacher of true faith,
  • St. Willibrord, Architect of Community and Unity,
  • St Willibrord, Destroyer of idols,
  • St Willibrord, Patron Saint of children,
  • St Willibrord, Humble servant of Jesus Christ,
  • St Willibrord, Miraculous healer,
  • St Willibrord, Master of joy and life,
  • St Willibrord, Disciple of Christ, pray for us.