St Piran's Day celebrations take place across Cornwall
Celebrations have been held across Cornwall to mark St Piran's Day.The event is marked annually on 5 March and celebrates the life and legacy of the patron saint of tin miners.Processions and performances have been taking place including a St Piran's Day Parade in Truro culminating in speeches and songs outside Truro Cathedral.There have also been other events in places including Redruth, Penzance and Perranporth.
Mayor of Truro Carol Swain said it was "an honour" to stage the parade in Truro "seeing it traverse through our great little city on its way to the cathedral steps".A brass band led dozens of people including flag bearers, groups of school children and a pair of giant pasties through the streets which were lined with spectators.President of Truro Old Cornwall Society, Bert Biscoe, said: "We very much welcome the enthusiasm shown by our schools for St Piran and the Truro parade. "Handing on such valued and resonant traditions and celebrations is vitally important for community life and everybody's identity."
In Redruth a parade was followed by musical performances, free activities, and a Red Squirrel Trail running throughout the town. Hundreds of schoolchildren also joined a parade and danced through the streets of Penzance to mark the occasion. Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds said: "We've come here today to celebrate St Piran, but also, more importantly, to celebrate who we are, where we come from, where we are going, and this amazing place, Cornwall, Kernow, that we all call home."
The annual St Piran procession took place on Sunday at Penhale Dunes near Perranporth. The event takes place on the Sunday closest to 5 March when a procession across the dunes ends at St Piran's Oratory and lost church, the original site of where St Piran worshiped.
The issue of minority status for Cornwall was also raised during Prime Minister's Questions in Westminster on St Piran's Day.MP for Camborne and Redruth, Perran Moon, called on the prime minister to reaffirm the Government's commitment to the status.Keir Starmer replied: "Let me wish him, his constituents and everyone in Cornwall a very happy St Piran's Day."We do recognise Cornish national minority status, not just the proud language, the history and the culture of Cornwall, but its bright future, and I know that he and Cornish colleagues will continue to be powerful voices for Cornwall."
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