The sun was shining on Clonard Monastery as hundreds of people gathered for the first day of the Novena.

Crowds spilled out of the church into the grounds to hear Wednesday morning’s service.

There were even some paws in the pews as several of the congregation brought along their four-legged friends to the outdoor seating.

Fr Ciaran O’Callaghan said as the first day’s preacher, he was tasked to talk about God’s compassion and set the scene for the rest of the Novena.

Campaign to boycott Co Tyrone town centre businesses at Christmas over union flags row

Masked and armed men carried out invasion of home of Conor McGregor accuser Nikita Hand

“This year’s theme is to help Christians create a culture of care for people who are vulnerable. Today’s service was very theological starting of with God’s compassion for us.

“It is going to be a little bit different this year as we have a different guest speaker almost every day. We have a young Redemptorist from Spain who will preach three of the days, three Protestant ministers and a number of women preaching.

“Those speakers will take different groups of people who are suffering, need care and are vulnerable and really talk out of their experience of engaging and working with them. So we will be looking at the elderly, sick, people in troubled relationships, discrimination and abuse.”

He said while the Novena started at 6.45am “the church was absolutely packed”.

The event also has a large online following with around 5,000 people expected to be watching the services each day.

Held in honour of our lady of perpetual help the annual event in west Belfast attracts thousands of visitors from far and wide.

Fr O’Callaghan said they have already received a large number of petitions and thanksgivings.

“We have a lot of petitions in in advance and today is just the first day. As it goes on in the nine days they and the thanksgivings will pile up.

“It is sad reading the petitions because you come face to face with so much suffering in peoples live particularly around health, addictions and exams.”

Inter-Church Day will take place on Monday June 24 and the Novena will continue until June 27.

Novena Times

Mon to Fri: 6.45am, 9.30am,11.30am, 4.00pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm Sat & Sun: 6.45am, 9.30am,11.30am, 1.30pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm & 8.00pm

You can also watch live on webcam: www.clonard.com or on social media