The miraculously incorrupt heart of St John Vianney has arrived in England.
The heart arrived at Manchester Airport 20 minutes ahead of schedule. It had been escorted from the village of Ars in France by Bishop Guy Claude Bagnard of Belley-Ars.
With local reporters in tow, the Bishop of Belley-Ars took the relic through the airport to a prayer room where it was received by Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury.
When Bishop Bagnard was asked if he was proud to be custodian of the relic, he said that it was impossible to use the word “proud” in the context of St John Vianney because of the saint’s humility.
The bishop also compared St John Vianney to Blessed John Henry Newman, saying that although the two men were different intellectually and culturally, they were both holy men who were devoted to the will of God.
The relic was then taken to be venerated at St Anthony’s church in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester. A Diocese of Salford spokesman said more than 400 people were there.
Visit schedule
Day Two: Friday July 6
A National Day: Praying for the Renewal of Parish Life and Vocations
Location: Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool
10am Morning Prayer and Homily
12pm Concelebrated Mass
3pm Vespers and Homily
Confessions and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the day.
Location: St Michael’s and All Angels, Woodchurch, Wirral CH43 5LE
6pm-9pm: Veneration of the relic, Confessions concluding with Compline 8.45pm
Day Three: Saturday July 7
Location: St Wilfrid’s, Witton Street, Northwich Cheshire CW9 5NP
9am-11am Morning Prayer, Veneration of the relic and Confessions
Location: Shrewsbury Cathedral, Town Walls, Shrewsbury SY1 1TE
12:30pm-5:30pm Mass and Veneration of the relic and Confessions
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