Each year many thousands of pilgrims from Ireland and other countries across Europe and indeed the world make their way to the small island of St Patrick’s Purgatory on Lough Derg to do the Three-Day Pilgrimage. According to tradition the first abbot of the monastery of Lough Derg was St Davog, a disciple of St Patrick. The pilgrimage can be traced back to the early days of Christianity in Ireland.
Pilgrims can do the Three-Day Pilgrimage of fasting, doing without sleep and walking on bare feet from May 31 to August 15 each year. In addition there are seminars, retreats and workshops during the year.
KTOTV, the French Catholic television station, has broadcast a documentary “Pieds nus et coeur battant” about a group of French pilgrims making their Lough Derg pilgrimage in the summer of 2012. During the 52 minutes documentary they share their first time experiences during the three days while carrying out the prayers and specific activities. For each pilgrim it was a unique experience and profoundly personal.
You can also view comments from Prior Richard Mohan who explains the history and the Three-Day Pilgrimage plus interviews with Irish pilgrims.
The documentary is in French except when there are interviews with Prior Mohan and the Irish pilgrims which are in English with French subtitles.
Get an insight into St Patrick’s Purgatory by viewing the 52 minutes documentary on the KTOTV website
You can find out more details of the Three-Day Pilgrimage, retreats and workshops by visiting the Lough Derg website