Cork's new churches celebrate Christmas in the most unlikely places

Christian denominations from all over the world have found homes in industrial estates and disused parish halls. Conor Capplis meets some of the worshippers as they prepare for their own religious take on the biggest celebration of the year

Winta Mengstu, originally from Eritrea, now living in Blackpool. “Our church back home is different.” Picture: Jim Coughlan

When you see the words Cork and church in the same sentence, you might think of the grey, stone buildings dotted around the city with their loud bells and grandiose structures. 

A cursory google of these terms brings up photos of Holy Trinity’s gothic arches or St Fin Barre’s trio of towers. These cavernous halls hold the capacity for Cork’s Catholics and Protestants to worship their God, but as Ireland walks away from a church many no longer believe in, such buildings are slowly becoming relics of times gone by.

More numerous however, and as discreet as they are numerous, are the smaller churches springing up around the city in recent years – they are smaller in size, but not in devotion. The ‘New Irish’ might not have been on the property ladder for 16 centuries like the Catholic Church, but in the most unlikely places, communities made up of immigrants and local adherents are flourishing.

Ireland’s Christmas celebrations mark a time of reflection, appreciation and intimacy – no matter the spiritual leanings. For many in Cork, the stockings, trees and candy cane do not represent what Christmas is. And an increasing number are celebrating in their own traditional ways, bringing the world’s denominations to buildings in your neighborhood you’d hardly even notice.

Marina 

In a small two-floor unit at Marina Commercial Park, a group of Pentecostal Christians hailing mainly from Kerala, India, have set up their church. Established in 2008, the church is a small but passionate group, keen to celebrate Jesus and welcome others too – a couple of Cork natives have joined after leaving Catholicism behind.

Up a narrow staircase is a small, warm room with about 30 people standing to face Pastor Bejoy Thomas George singing at the top. “How great Thou art!” he belts into the mic, guitar in hand and eyes closed, while another plays keyboards. 

Fr Kyrillos with his Deacons after their service at the Parish Centre, Church Hill, Carrigrohane, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

A girl next to him frantically searches on a computer to find the matching song lyrics for two big screens as he meanders from song to song spontaneously. As the music intensifies, one child casually sits up on a cajon drum and starts playing along, legs dangling below. And three girls pick up mics to add to the voices feeding the energy in the room.

Saturdays are for the English-speaking service, but on Sundays around 100 people pack into the church for the service in their native Malayalam, with many in a downstairs room watching a livestream of the service on a TV.

“It’s very difficult actually,” says Pastor Bejoy of the space constraints. “Actually we are looking for a new hall, and that’s a challenge our church is facing.” Adults in the community pay a minimum 10% of their income to the church for its rent, upkeep and missions.

“I love it here,” says 15-year-old Jewel Jim, who moved to Ireland from Qatar about a year ago with her sister and parents.

You can be so open and free, there’s no restrictions. If you want to worship, dance, cry, jump with joy – you can do anything you want. That’s the fellowship that makes us feel like a family.

At Christmas time, the church focuses its efforts on giving to others and spreading the Gospel.

Christmas for Varughese Abraham, who is visiting from India for the festive season, usually consists of visiting a nursing home to help out, make spicy Kerala-style fish curry and bring gifts to the elderly. “To give something to people not so privileged as us,” he says.

Pastor Bejoy says their celebrations are “not like you see in other churches. We actually do some prayers, go out to the streets and share the Gospel and give gifts to the homeless. We want to do something for the community.

We don’t want to spend much money on the celebration side and sit back. We would rather use that money and do something for society like buying blankets for homeless people.

Christmas trees among their community are “very rare” and Santa Claus isn’t known to visit often. He says they don’t want to introduce things “from a culture which we cannot prove from the Bible”.

Children still get gifts on Christmas Day however, “we’re not abandoning any children!” he jests.

Ballincollig

Across the city at an old Church of Ireland parish centre in Ballincollig, a jumbled group of Africans and Irish gather to worship the same God in their own distinct way. The Coptic Orthodox Church is an oriental Christian church with around 25 million members worldwide, primarily in Egypt, Africa and the Middle East.

Walking into the small hall, the smell of incense fills the air and a striking beam of low morning light cuts across the makeshift altar through the smoke. In a more formal service than the Pentecostals, worshipers dressed in white cloth quietly face the priest at the top who leads the service.

Parents bow their heads in earnest, while their children gather around the altar – some in prayer and some playing a chaotic three-way rock-paper-scissors. A-capella singing fills the room backed by the sound of triangles and other tinny percussion.

Fr Kyrillos during his service at the Parish Centre, Church Hill, Carrigrohane, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Father Kyrillos Hanna stands by the altar dressed in ornate clothes with a pointed hat. He is reading from a prominently placed TV with three columns of the same text in English, Coptic and Arabic. Worshippers remove their shoes for communion and receive a specially baked bread and spoonful of wine.

After a splash of holy water at the congregation, the service ends. A generous platter of sandwiches and breads is revealed and the group disperses into casual mingling.

A group of Ethiopian, Eritrean and Somalian women gather together around a Kebero drum and begin their traditional worship. To the beat of the drum, they sing and shout in sorority.

“Our church back home is different,” says Winta Mengstu, who moved here from Eritrea six years ago. “But it’s better to worship God together.” 25-year-old Eyob Abraha, also from Eritrea, says religion “is a big part of our culture”. Since moving to Ireland 16 years ago, he tries to keep in touch with his faith.

“There’s definitely some intertwining from the Irish and Eritrean/Egyptian communities. We’d have priests come in from the other Irish churches as well and give us speeches – there’s great communication between all the churches which is good to see.” 

Eyob Abraha, originally from Eritrea now living in Gurranabraher, tries to keep in touch with his faith Since moving to Ireland 16 years ago. Picture: Jim Coughlan

The church community gradually arrived in Cork from the late 1990s, and formed the church in 2013, says Fr Kyrillos. He has spearheaded the search for a space of their own and was recently refused planning permission to convert a former golf clubhouse in Blarney into a church but hopes to be successful upon re-applying.

“When you don’t have your own space, you can’t offer much service. Because here, we come only once a week on Sunday and sometimes you need a space for other social activities as well. We’re hoping to have our own place so we can offer our community the service they need – spiritually and socially.” 

Fr Kyrillos with his Deacons during the service. "We’re hoping to have our own place so we can offer our community the service they need – spiritually and socially.” Picture: Jim Coughlan

During the 40 days leading up to Christmas Day, which for them lands on January 7, churchgoers fast from meat and dairy, opting for a primarily bean and vegetable diet.

“We’re focusing more on the spiritual life during this fasting,” says Andrea Ishak Mekhail. His wife Olivea Morcos, who hails from Egypt but grew up in Galway, says they are “very big on food at Christmas”.

“We do Christmas overnight crossing into midnight on January 7 when we break our fast,” she says. “Egyptian food is a mishmash of lots of different cultures. We would eat a lot of meats like lamb and chicken, make something similar to a lasagne, stuffed vine leaves, moussaka.” 

The church usually holds special prayers on December 25, and Santa Claus – be it a man or a woman – visits the children in the church hall.

Olivea, Ilaria and Andrea Ishak Mekhail." It’s nice for children to grow up in a community that loves them just like their family would.” Picture: Jim Coughlan.

“It’s important for the children to receive gifts so they feel they celebrate with other churches at the same time,” Fr Kyrillos explains as a little girl practices Jingle Bells on a tin whistle nearby.

Minding her young daughter amongst the crowd, Olivea Morcos says: “It’s really nice to come and consider the church like your second home and the people in your church are like your second family. And it’s nice for children to grow up in a community that loves them just like their family would.” 

Little Island 

On a street outside a small industrial park just north of Little Island is Christ Jesus Centre. It’s easy to miss the small non-descript entrance, but passers-by can no doubt hear the muffled commotion from within.

Entering the Pentecostal church, there’s a rush to the senses. Bishop Ola is at the top of the room preaching with his eyes closed with unwavering passion – a surprising feat considering he’s on the 11th day of a daylight hours fast from food and water. 

At the same time, almost everybody in the room is praying out loud to their own tune, enthusiastically shaking and expressing their love to Jesus.

Most of the 25 or so families at the church come from Nigeria, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and South Africa. For 17 years the church has become a sanctuary for African immigrants settling into Cork. “We are not quiet,” says Bishop Ola Bello, proudly. 

We shout according to the spirit of God.

After his sermon, a few jump over to some instruments and begin playing. Everyone is on their feet and dancing, clearly feeling the rhythm of the drums. Unlike the other churches, everyone seems to know the lyrics by heart, as if they were born to do it.

Children hold hands, jumping in a circle to the beat. One trips over another and momentarily bursts into tears, but after some comfort from her mother, the toddler leaps back in with the bigger kids to continue the dance.

“[God] is the director of our life,” Bishop Ola says afterwards. “Even though he has given us the wisdom for tomorrow, He is the one who will give us divine direction by the Holy Spirit.” 

Kafayat Williams is preparing for Christmas with her husband and four children, who are excited for Santa’s arrival.

“It’s a very big part of their lives that we don’t have to deprive them of, so we make sure they have that,” she says.

Her five-year-old daughter Hannah is especially excited for the “big dancing Barbie doll” she’s asked from Santa Claus. What’s she most looking forward to? “Santa getting stuck in the chimney!” she screams; and leaving out a “giant cookie and ice cream” for him.

Their whole family comes together on December 25, and food is a focal point of the day.

“In our own way of Christmas back home, as an African Nigerian, we make Jollof rice – which is like a tomato rice, and eat it with turkey,” Williams says. They combine Irish traditions with their own side dishes such as yam, prawn fried rice and cow intestine, for a fusion-style Christmas dinner.

For many in the community, Christmas Day falling on a Sunday this year will be an opportunity to spend time together at their weekly service in celebration.