Waving the flags ….. in The odd entries from life …….

Yesterday 5th of March was Saint Piran’s Day or as it was called once ‘Pirantide’ Saint Piran is one of those who brought Christianity to Cornwall, and a Abbot in this area in the sixth century. It is said he landed here on Perranport’s beach, yesterday there was a procession into the dunes to the remains of his place of prayer; a building is a building a Church is the people who worship within.

Saint Piran’s Flag and now the flag of Cornwall is a white cross on a black ground, tin-smelting was known in Cornwall in Roman times but by the sixth century it was lost, it is said Saint Piran rediscovered the art. The flag is said to come from tin-smelting, heating the dark ore the tin smelt out of it and raised to the top in the shape of a cross. To see this flag fluttering across the county I found it rather dull, but this flag has been the Flag of the Cornish for fifteen centuries; so I have to respect it for it’s longevity in an ever changing world!

So there I was in Truro standing on the corner of Castel Street and River Street, in Castel Street the participant’s of the parade were gathering ready to parade down River Street and into the heart of Truro.

Cornish Pasties dressed for the day, seen as we passed by ….

.

I haven’t seen this parade before so I didn’t know how many took part, down through River Street and Saint Nicholas Street you can’t see much, once the Parade had passed into Boscawen Street, probably Truro’s widest Street, then I could look back at the people lined up back though the narrow streets behind.

Saffron cake for all, even those behind a camera …

And these Gent’s are ‘Parade’s end’ bringing up the end of all those walking the street of Truro on Saint Piren’s Day.

The parade finishes at the steps of Truro Cathedral – full title ‘The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary’ Once there, there are words - a speech - a prayer and music.

I quite enjoyed the parade, there were many when I was young, then they seemed to vanish while we tried to be modern! Now these activities that can bring people together are coming back, perhaps they never went a way in Cornwall!