Special Mass to celebrate the Feast of St Mel in Shroove this Saturday morning

A special Mass will be held in the parish of Moville this Saturday morning, February 7, to celebrate the Feast of St Mel.

The ceremony will take place at 11am in the small St Joseph's Oratory church at Shroove, a few miles north of Greencastle village.

The Feast of St Mel is traditionally celebrated on February 6th or 7th in honor of the 5th-century Irish saint, bishop, and missionary, who was a disciple and likely a nephew of St Patrick.

As the patron saint of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, he is remembered for his manual labor, dedication to the poor, and for granting the religious veil to St. Brigid.

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St Mel helped evangelise Ireland while supporting himself through manual labour.

St Patrick appointed Mel as one of the earliest Irish bishops and head of the Diocese of Ardagh.

St Mel, who was said to have the gift of prophecy, also built the monastery of Ardagh, where he served as both bishop and abbot.

Meanwhile, St Mel's Feast Day comes just over five weeks before the much more celebrated St Patrick's Day, which will see a parade in Moville on Tuesday, March 17.