BOLTON Parish Church will host one of the most prestigious events in its 142-year history on Sunday when a huge ordination service takes place there instead of in Manchester Cathedral.

The Victorian Gothic building is likely to have to house ABOUT 800 people when 20 new clergymen and women are ordained.

This would normally have been held in Manchester Cathedral but vital work installing an underfloor heating system and carrying out other vital refurbishment to the medieval landmark mean it is closed until December.

Bolton Parish Church, as one of the two largest parish churches in the diocese, has not only been chosen for this honour but has already been the venue for a primary school leavers’ service of just under 500 youngsters from across Greater Manchester.

The 20 people to be ordained come from all over the region and include ordinands from Bolton and Horwich.

Bishop Chris Edmondson said: “I’m particularly delighted, of course, that Bolton is involved.

“The Vicar, the Rev Matt Thompson, and everyone at the parish church here is doing a wonderful job with the arrangements. It will be particularly nice for the town as some of the people being ordained will serve in the local diocese.”

Cllr John Walsh, who is Church Warden, said the Bolton venue had been selected, too, after its impressive Jubilee Service last year.

He added: “It is a great honour for the Parish Church and it’s a very exciting challenge.”

The event has involved a military-style operation that is being well-supported by the congregation, said Mr Walsh.

He added: “Each of the ordinands can have up to 30 guests and then there are their own visiting clergy plus other guests. As a result, we are having to rearrange the church to bring in 200 extra seats.”

As well as preparations in the actual church, parking for so many extra visitors has also to be arranged and people easily directed there.

The service is also a rewarding challenge for the small army of flower arrangers at the church, who will be creating special arrangements for the prestigious event.

As a result, and in time for the ordination, eight wrought iron flower pedestals from the church have been refurbished and re-sprayed by apprentices in in the sheet metal fabrications and body repair departments at the Horwich campus of Bolton College.

This has involved about 15 young people, aged from 16 to 22, who have spent around six weeks sprucing up the pedestals and spraying them a smart black vinyl.

“The pedestals certainly look better,” said welding and fabrication lecturer Paul Crook, “and the students have really enjoyed working on this important ‘live’ project.”