杏MAP导航

By Lydia O鈥橩ane

On the 21^st August 1879 fifteen people in the village of Knock in the West of Ireland witnessed an Apparition that would change their lives. For two hours in the pouring rain they watched as Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a Lamb and cross on an altar at the gable wall of the Parish Church appeared to them.

The villagers recalled seeing a beautiful vision of Mary with a white cloak and crown while St Joseph was also wearing white while standing on the right of the Blessed Virgin.

Following the apparition an ecclesiastical Commission of inquiry was established  that same year which found  the testimonies of those who witnessed the scene to be sound and trustworthy.

Nearly 140 years on from  that well documented event, the place of the apparitions is now a National Shrine and Basilica honouring Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland which welcomes thousands of pilgrims every year.

杏MAP导航 John Paul II at Knock

One such pilgrim was the first 杏MAP导航 to come to Ireland, St John Paul II who visited the Marian Shine one hundred years after the apparition on a rainy autumn day in 1979.鈥� In words to the  villagers of Knock and the people of Ireland, he said, 鈥淨ueen of Ireland, Mary Mother of the heavenly and earthly Church, a Mháthair Dé, keep Ireland true to her spiritual tradition and her Christian heritage. Help her to respond to her historic mission of bringing the light of Christ to the nations, and so making the glory of God be the honour of Ireland.鈥�

For the Rector of the Shrine, Fr Richard Gibbons , the apparition scene links in very well with the upcoming World Meeting of Families which will take place from August 21^st to 26^th and describes 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� visit to the Shrine as a 鈥渕oment of personal devotion鈥� both to Our Lady and to St Joseph.鈥�

He also calls the apparition 鈥渦nique鈥�, adding that 鈥漣t鈥檚 one of the most sophisticated and complex witnessed鈥�.

Knock Shrine today

Over the last few year this National Shrine has undergone a radical overhaul that has seen a project called 鈥淲itness to Hope鈥� being launched鈥� which includes faith renewal and retreat programmes throughout the year.

Asked about what pilgrims experience when they come to Knock, Fr Gibbons says that the feedback they get is that, 鈥減eople want that sense of peace, but also a sense of where they can engage in a very normal way with renewing their spirituality and their faith鈥�.

In addition to the day to day activities, the Shrine has its own archive which documents events that occurred at the time.  In a heartwarming story Fr Gibbons recalls that only recently the remains of the youngest visionary John Curry were found in New York in a paupers grave in Long Island. With the help of Cardinal Timothy Dolan his remains were transferred to Old St Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral in Manhattan.

As the people of Knock remember  the 1979 Papal visit and await the arrival of 杏MAP导航 Francis, the Rector comments that the visit of a 杏MAP导航  gives a sense of what we belong to, that the Church is bigger than ourselves, it鈥檚 bigger than Ireland and that we are part of a worldwide community鈥︹�� The visit, he says, 鈥済ives a lift鈥濃�� adding that, 鈥渨e hope that Knock will play an enormous role in the renewal of the Church in the country as well, and the renewal of faith.鈥�