A Dublin congregation gave public worship to God in the Phoenix Park last Sunday despite the threat of criminal sanctions.

About 100 members of All-Nations Church gathered in the open air, and socially distanced, around the papal cross.

Gardai were present nearby but did not intervene.

The church’s pastor, John Ahern, told the congregation that that they were there to give worship to God, not to protest and that worship was a human right.

He questioned why their gathering should be criminalised while other people freely shopped.

He also said that Christianity is a face to face religion and he had not seen many of his congregation face to face for over a year.