Ahead of Remembrance Sunday in Northern Ireland tomorrow, Ireland’s main church leaders, including Presbyterian Moderator, Rt Rev Dr David Bruce, have come together to reflect at this particular time in a specially recorded joint video message.

Filmed separately in their studies, offices and places of worship last week, the leaders of the Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Ireland, and the Irish Council of Churches, remember the sacrifice made by so many in the two world wars and other conflicts, lamenting the loss of life on all sides. At the same time, they acknowledge the deep sense of loss felt by those who have lost loved ones to Coronavirus and have not been able to grieve fully.

In the video, which lasts just under two minutes, each Church leader voices a portion of their 139- word joint statement to camera, over Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’, from the composer’s ‘Enigma Variations’. This reflective piece of music has become, over many years, associated with various acts of remembrance. The video concludes with each Church leader saying, ‘Amen’.

Taking part with the Moderator, are the Most Rev John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Rev Dr Thomas McKnight, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Most Rev Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland and Very Rev Dr Ivan Patterson, President of the Irish Council of Churches.