Panoramic photograph of Holy Cross Abbey, county Tipperary, Ireland

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Holy Cross Abbey sits on the banks of the river Suir in the village of Holy Cross in County Tipperary. The restored Abbey houses "a Relic of the True Cross". The holy relic is a two inch long sliver from the cross that Jesus died upon. It is secured in the shaft of an episcopal cross. There are several interesting stories decribing how the relic came to the Abbey but the authentication of the relic in Rome meant that the Abbey became a major place of pilgrimage.

The structure at the extreme left of the photo is an outdoor altar used when there are too many pilgrims to fit in the small church. A few weeks before this picture was taken, in 2008, some 10,000 pilgrims atended a service here.