Pilgrims take a piece of Cornwall to Israel

The West Briton, UK
May 5, 2005

Jerusalem beckons for a team of 20 pilgrims who will leave a little
piece of Cornwall behind in the Holy Land. The group, which includes
nine people from the Feock parish, will land in Egypt before travelling
across Mount Sinai, through the Gulf of Aqaba and finally into Jordan
before they enter Israel.

There, they will travel to the Church of The Pater Noster to unveil
a plaque of The Lord’s Prayer written in Cornish which will join more
than 100 others written in most of world’s languages.

Joining them on the journey is a copy of the New Testament, also
written in Cornish.

Leading the pilgrimage is the Rev Barbara Heseltine, assistant priest
at Feock Church, who explained: “In November we had a service in
the cathedral to celebrate the translation of the New Testament
into Cornish.

“It occurred to me that there might not be a copy of The Lord’s Prayer
in Cornish in the Church of the Pater Noster.

“They have all these copies of The Lord’s Prayer in ceramic on
the walls.

“So what we have done is collect enough money to do one in Cornish.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury was given a copy after a visit to Truro
Cathedral in November 2004 and has subsequently made a donation to
aid the Cornish pilgrims’ quest.

Armenian Orthodox Christian, Hagop Antressian, a stonemason, is busy in
his workshop crafting the plaque to be ready for the group’s arrival
in Jerusalem in mid May.

The Church of the Pater Noster sits at the top of the Mount of Olives
and is said to be where Jesus taught his disciples The Lord’s Prayer.

The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Bill Ind, is delighted that the Cornish
New Testament is going to Jerusalem, and is writing a special message
to go inside it.

“I hope that Cornish people will feel that they want to identify with
this project, and that those subsequently going to Jerusalem will
make a point of visiting the Church of Pater Noster, and seeing the
plaque,” said Bishop Bill.

The Rev Brian Coombes, secretary of the Bishop’s advisory group for
services in Cornish, said: “I think it’s always nice when people use
a little bit of Cornish and this is splendid news.”