The Lady Chapel X

One of my favorite apparitions happened at the poor little village of Knock, Ireland on August 21st., 1879 during one of those frequent driving rainstorms that blows down from the North Sea. I am so sorry that I haven't an illustration for this one.

St. Mary appeared at seven o'clock that rainy night and a brightness was seen over one of the gables of the parish church. Before the night was over fifteen people gathered over the period of two hours to stand amazed at the sight.

Parish Church - - Knock, Ireland

In complete silence the deeply touching scene took place in what could only be described as an "otherworldly light". At the center of it was an altar upon which rested the symbol of the Lamb of God. On one side of that altar was St. John the Evangelist preaching from the Gospel whose pages could be clearly viewed. On the other side was St. Joseph with his head devoutly bowed. The virgin St. Mary hovered about two feet from off the ground. She was, according to the recorded account, "clothed in white robes that were fastened at the neck; her hands were raised at the height of the shoulders, as if in prayer, with the palms facing one another . . . her eyes were turned toward heaven. She wore a brilliant crown [which] appeared golden... a series of glittering sparkles or crosses" [were atop that crown].

"One old woman went up to embrace St. Mary but found nothing in her arms ... 'They receded', she said, 'from her.'" And all was still with an holy silence as St. Joseph, St. Mary, and St. John worshipped the Lamb of God who is Christ their Savior.

How fitting, such a heaven-sent treasure in poor old Ireland for they had suffered enormously from their English masters because of the Irish love of the Mass, and had just suffered one of the most devastating crop failures and famines in all of recorded history. Christ is our treasure as well!

The silence and majesty of the scene prevented Rome from her usual corrupted pronouncements for who could mistake the meaning of it: "Come unto Christ, adore Him as He is adored in Heaven!"

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