THE annual Clonard Novena has concluded with a precession around the streets in the vicinity of Clonard Monastery.
The nine-day Novena saw thousands of worshippers from all religious backgrounds descend on West Belfast, offering up their prayers, petitions and thanksgivings at six sessions daily.
The Novena concluded with a Procession in honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on Thursday evening after the final session at 8pm.
The procession was a symbolic gesture as pilgrims walked the streets around Clonard.
This year's theme was ‘Pilgrims of Hope in a Time of Uncertainty’ which reflected the late Pope Francis' ambition in proclaiming 2025 a Holy Year, reminding people that “we need to recognise the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence".
