StP_Porgatory

Legend has it that St. Patrick had a vision of the after life having spent some days in a cave on an island in Lough Derg near Pettigo, Co. Donegal, Ireland. The cave became the resort of Irish saints, especially St. Daveoc, and the larger island, Station Island, has become a place of pilgrimage.

Another legend has it that when Patrick was banishing snakes from Croagh Patrick one of them escaped and made its way into Lough Derg. This particular snake represented the sin of pride - which according to scripture could only be cast out by prayer and fasting. A pilgrimage based on prayer and fasting developed in Lough Derg which became known as St. Patrick's Purgatory.

It is popularly believed that pilgrims have come to Lough Derg since St. Patrick's time though no details are recorded until the twelfth century. The Synods of Rathbrasil (1111 ad) and Thurles (1152 ad) divided Ireland into four ecclesiastical provinces, each having its own place of pilgrimage. The new provinces of Tuam and Dublin had Croagh Patrick and Glendalough, respectively, Cashel had Ardmore and Armagh now had Lough Derg. St. Patrick's Purgatory became famous throughout medieval Europe with the account of the conversion of the Knight Owen. As his story spread pilgrims flocked to this holy place.

The traditional three-day pilgrimage between June 1 and August 15 was done in bare feet with the round of devotions and spiritual exercises. Prigrims fasted from midnight on the day of arrival to midnight on the day of departure except for one meal of bread and water or black tea each day. Three stations were performed on the first day with an all-night vigil in St. Patrick's Basilica. Four stations were kept on the second day and two on the third. Pilgrims could rest from 9.30 p.m. on the second night and at any hour on the third evening.

A recent development has been the introduction of a one-day pilgrimage in May and September.