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The annual Clonard Novena in Belfast will return this week with in-person masses for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The nine-day Catholic religious event in west Belfast attracts around 15,000 worshippers to the Clonard Monastery each day.

The series of masses had been held virtually for the past two years, with services streamed online.

But the number of services held this year has been reduced.

The annual Festival of Faith, which begins on Wednesday until 23 June, is rooted in Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary, with nine successive days of services known as a novena.

Normally there are 10 sessions each day, but this year they have been limited to six as a precaution against coronavirus.

The rector of Clonard Monastery, Fr Peter Burns, said: "We're conscious if we're bringing significant people back to the church we want to keep it as safe as possible."

The popular healing services for the sick, which normally take place on Saturday, will also not take place because of virus.

Presbyterian ministers

For the first time two Presbyterian ministers, Rev Steve Stockman and Rev Dr Ruth Patterson will be part of the team of preachers speaking at the novena masses.

Even before the pandemic, the novena had a large online following with 5,000 people watching services each day in previous years.

Last year with only a virtual novena on offer, around 10,000 people watched the online services from all over the world.

The theme of this years festival is "Let us Dream".

Organisers said the theme explores "what times of crisis can teach us" and "how to handle upheaval of any kind in our own lives and the world at large".