London: new icon for the City
A new icon of Our Lady of the City, is being unveiled at an ecumenical service in St Joseph's Catholic Church, Bunhill Row, near the Barbican, at 7pm this evening. For many weeks now, visitors have been coming into the church to watch the Coptic icon artist, Dr Stephane Rene, working on the image, which is nearly three metres high and two metres wide. It is hoped that a second icon, depicting St Joseph of the House of David will also be ready tonight - for the eve of the Feast of St Joseph, A purple scullcap worn by Archbishop Oscar Romero will be displayed in the church from tonight - as part of the parish commemorations of the 25th anniversary of his death. The skullcap was given to parishioner, Julian Filochowski, a friend of the murdered Archbishop and formerly director of CAFOD, by Romero's successor, Archbishop Rivera y Damas. Fr Bruno Healy, priest in charge of St Joseph's said: "Oscar Romero's memory is not only something for Catholics to celebrate. His strong ecumenical commitment, remembered as he is in the Modern Martyrs Chapel of Canterbury Cathedral, or on the front of Westminster Abbey, is also a stimulus for us here at St. Joseph's. This prophet of our own time reminds us that the Church is for all people, for creating a more just world, in his own words: 'In spite of what is done to destroy our communities, as long as there is one baptised person left the Church will continue to exist. A Bishop may die, but the Church of God, which is the people, this will never die.' " For more information, and to see pictures of the icons, visit: www.atprayerinthecity.com