A 1 , 1 0 0 - YE A R - O L D cross removed from Down Cathedral and painstakingly restored was yesterday unveiled in its new home.
After more than a year of work, the iconic Downpatrick High Cross has been restored to its original glory.
The Mourne granite cross, damaged by centuries of exposure to the elements, was removed from its position in front of Down Cathedral in 2013 and replaced last year by an exact replica.
Experts brought the original into the protected environment of the nearby Down County Museum and began a complicated conservation process never before seen in Northern Ireland.
The restored cross was cleaned for posterity as well as being completely re-assembled, along with a new base and capstone - rising to a height of 3.6 metres.
The new socket stone has been replicated from the original, while the capstone has been modelled on a surviving example preserved in University College Dublin.
It was unveiled yesterday in a purpose-built Christian Heritage gallery in the museum in Downpatrick, where a full interpretation of the carvings on the cross can be found.
New drawings reveal what archaeologists believe it originally looked like before the wear and tear of 1,100 years.
The cross will become the centrepiece of a museum extension later this year.
The day chosen for the unveiling of the completed cross was the Feast Day of Saint Tassach, the craftsman disciple of Saint Patrick, who was present when Patrick died at Saul and is said to have given him the Last Rites.
Naomi Baillie, Sinn Fein chair of Newry, Mourne and Down district council, said: "In its new location, surrounded by evidence of our heritage and with appropriate aids to interpretation and understanding, it will encourage locals and visitors alike to explore and consider the past and, perhaps, reflect on our future."