NI100: Michael D Higgins' invite to centenary event emerges
- Published
President Higgins said his decision not to attend the service was not "snubbing anyone"
The letter sent to Irish President Michael D Higgins inviting him to a church service to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland has emerged.
Sent on behalf of The Church Leaders Group (Ireland), the letter, addressed to President Higgins, was dated 20 May 2021. Its authenticity has been confirmed by one of its co-signatories.
President Higgins has defended his decision not to attend the service.
He said the title of the event "wasn't a neutral statement politically".
The letter states that the event is "a service of reflection and hope, to mark the centenary of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland", and a similar invitation was being extended to the Queen.
The inter-denominational service at St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral on 21 October has been organised by the leaders of the main Christian churches in Ireland.
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On Friday, during a visit to Rome to meet Pope Francis, President Higgins said that he had been considering the invitation for about six months, and in the week before St Patrick's Day, he shared his concerns with the organisers of the event.
President Higgins said he recalled saying: "We must do everything we can to support each other's events, but if this event is titled as it is, and structured as it is, it would present difficulties."
According to the letter, the invite was sent in May.
It said the service "will provide the opportunity for honest reflection on the past one hundred years, with the acknowledgement off failures and hurts, but also with a clear affirmation of our shared commitment to building a future marked by peace, reconciliation and a commitment to the common good".
During an interview with the Irish Times, external on Thursday, President Higgins also said he had been incorrectly referred to as the president of the Republic of Ireland in the invitation rather than the president of Ireland.
However, in a press conference in Rome, he corrected his statement about how he had been titled.
The letter addresses him as "The President of Ireland, Áras an Uachtaráin".
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