A ceremony has been held to welcome home a shard of bone, believed to be from St Helena, Colchester's patron saint.
The tiny shard of bone has travelled 4,500 miles from the American Orthodox Church to the Greek Orthodox Parish of St Helen in Colchester.
Procession - Father Alexander Haig carries the bone to St Helen, Colchester, followed by the Mayor of Colchester, Chris Hall Picture: STEVE ARGENT
A procession, led by Father Alexander Haig, of the church in Maidenburgh Street and the town's new mayor Chris Hall, collected the religious relic from a nearby house before parading to the church for the service.
The relic's journey to Colchester came about through a chance encounter between an American bishop and Fr Haig.
Kansas-based Bishop Basil Essay, of the American Orthodox Church, was on a retreat at the Monastery of St John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights, when he was invited to visit the church by Fr Haig.
While walking in High Street, Bishop Essay said he had a relic of St Helena in America and would send it to the town.
The bone shard's authenticity cannot be proved and instead relies on faith. The church is the oldest in Colchester and dates back to the 10th century.
Published Monday, May 19, 2003
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