Scottish Catholic Observer

June 18 saw the celebration of Sunday Mass take place, after which followed a procession from the church through the neighbourhood and grounds of St Sylvester’s School, ending at Greyfriar’s Kirk with Benediction in the convent chapel.

It marked a historic return to Eucharistic processions in Elgin, being the first of its kind for over 30 years, when the Sisters of Mercy used to live at Greyfriars and run the nearby school.

Fr Colin Stewart, parish priest of St Sylvester’s, found the baldacchino in the attic of the parish house several months ago, and brought it to the Dominican Sisters at Greyfriars, which sparked a revival of the once-popular parish tradition.

The parish’s First Communicants, who had received the Sacrament the day before, returned to take part in the procession, wearing their First Communion outfits and carrying baskets filled with flower petals, which they scattered before the Blessed Sacrament.

Meanwhile the children that has recently made their Confirmation accompanied the Blessed Sacrament as torchbearers, illuminating the way.

The Blessed Sacrament was carried in the monstrance by Fr Isaac Yaw Nsiah, who will soon return to Ghana after having spent two years in Elgin, and was escorted by four men, who carried the processional baldacchino.

Fr Stewart led the congregation as they sang traditional hymns in honour of the Eucharist.

Volunteers young and old took part in the Corpus Christi celebrations, with young people of the parish helping out as altar servers and musicians at Mass and Benediction, while adult parishioners prepared the route and convent garden, as well as directing traffic and organising safety measures.

Refreshments were offered by a team of parish helpers after Benediction in the convent, a way for the parish community to come together and reflect on the day’s joyful events.