“Water from the garden of God,” a few people at the gathering joked but oddly the elements only enhanced what was a first rate and, at times, deeply moving occasion.

Six weeks after the launch of the inaugural tunnel boring machine (TBM) which will clear about 6.5 kilometres of earth in readiness for the vast north to south River Torrens to Darlington project, 100 or so people came together to witness the blessing of the second (of three) TBMs to be used on the project. The machine was named Catherine after the South Australian suffragette Catherine Helen Spence (the others are named Mary and Elizabeth).

It’s huge – twice the length of an Olympic swimming pool – but being in situ already, was mostly hidden from the onlookers. The lack of a proper sighting though did not detract from a quite wonderful occasion.

The welcome to country, for starters, by Alan Sumner was exceptional. Minutes before the speeches began he kindled a small fire of coastal plants before bringing them to the fore.

“Smoke cleanses, it’s a celebration,” he said. The welcome to country is “not a gesture, it is a sign on love and respect”.

Deputy Premier Kyam Maher was there to represent the government in the absence of the Premier who was on hols with his family, he said.

“Fixing the congestion on South Rd has been a priority for years,” he said before referring to the day itself.

“I have had a ripper,” he told everyone.

At which point Fr Joseph Raja, the parish priest of the nearby St Bernadette’s Church which sits within the broader St Ann’s parish, stepped forward, accompanied by Fr Arul Dev who read from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Fr Joseph sprinkled the, already very wet, machine with holy water before blessing a small statue of the patron saint of underground workers and miners, St Barbara. Centuries old, worldwide, tradition has it that work cannot begin on such underground projects without a blessing to protect the workers.

The third, and final, TBM will be blessed later this month.