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Summary
During a pouring rain, the figures of Mary, Joseph, John the Evangelist
and a lamb on a plain altar appeared over the gable of the village
chapel, enveloped in a bright light. None of them spoke. 15 people,
between the ages of 5 and 75, saw the apparition. |
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Timeline
| Aug 21, 1879 |
15 witnesses experienced the silent apparitions of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist. Those who witnessed the apparition stood in the pouring rain for up to two hours reciting the Rosary. When the occurence began there was good light, but although it then became very dark, witnesses could still see the figures very clearly - they appeared to be the color of a bright whitish light. The apparition did not flicker or move in any way. The witnesses reported that the ground around the figures remained completely dry during the apparition although the wind was blowing from the south. Afterwards, however the ground at the gable became wet and the gable dark. |
| October 8, 1879 |
Most Rev. Dr. John MacHale, Archbishop of Tuam, appoints an investigative
commission to study the phenomenon. The Commission consisted of Irish scholar and historian, Canon Ulick Bourke, Canon James Waldron, as well as the parish priest of Ballyhaunis and Archdeacon Bartholomew Aloyisius Kavanagh. Depositions of witnesses were taken in the ensuing months. The evidence which was the Commission's duty to record, satisfied all the members and was deemed trustworthy. Among the considerations were whether the apparition emanated from natural causes, and whether there was any positive fraud. In the first cited particular, it was reported that no solution as from natural causes could be offered; and in the second consideration, that such a suggestion had never, even remotely, been entertained. |
| 1936 |
Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Thomas Patrick Gilmartin, institutes a new investigative
commission which returned with a positive verdict. |
Dec 18, 1954 |
In 1954, a Marian year for the whole Catholic world, courtesy of the Vatican Chapter, Our Lady of Knock was crowned with the rites followed by Pius XII in the crowning of the painting of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, in Rome, on November first. |
| Sept 30, 1979 |
Pope John Paul II visits the shrine for the 100th anniversary
of the apparitions. Over 450,000 people came to Knock on that day. On this occasion he presented a Golden Rose, a seldom-bestowed token of papal honour and recognition.
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May 13, 2017 |
John Curry was the youngest of 15 people who witnessed the apparition. Five-year-old Curry sat on his cousin’s shoulders as the group recited the rosary as they watched the “beautiful things” for two hours in the pouring rain.
Curry’s remains, which had been in an unmarked grave on Long Island for decades, were re-interred in the church yard there to give him the “prominence and esteem he deserves,” according to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who presided at Mass concelebrated with Rockville Centre Bishops John Barres and Robert Brennan before the burial. (Source) |
Photo Gallery
Click here to view
images from Knock.
Description of the Virgin
According to visionary Mary Beirne:
"The Virgin stood erect, with eyes raised to heaven , her hands elevated
to the shoulders or a little higher. the palms inclined slightly toward
her shoulders or bosom; she wore a large cloak of a white color, hanging
in full folds and somewhat loosely around her shoulders and fastened to
the neck; she wore a crown on the head- a rather large crown- and it appeared
to be somewhat yellower than the dress or robes worn by Our Blessed Lady."
According to visionary Bridget Trench:
Mary was described as "deep in prayer", with her eyes raised to heaven, her hands raised to the shoulders or a little higher, the palms inclined slightly to the shoulders. Bridget Trench "went in immediately to kiss, as I thought, the feet of the Blessed Virgin; but I felt nothing in the embrace but the wall, and I wondered why I could not feel with my hands the figures which I had so plainly and so distinctly seen".
Visionaries
There were 15 official eye- witnesses (three men, six women,
two teenage boys and a girl, and two children) including:
Patrick Hill, 11
Mary McLoughlin, 45- Archbishop Cavanagh's housekeeper
Mary Byrne, 29 - daughter of Margaret Byrne
Patrick Walsh, 65
Patrick Byrne, 16
Mrs. Margaret Byrne, 68 - widow, friend of Mary McLoughlin
Dominick Byrne, Junior, 19 - son of Margaret Byrne
Mrs. Hugh Flatley, 44
Bridget Trench, 75
Catherine Murray, 8 - niece of Margaret Byrne
John Curry, 5
Judith Campbell, 22
Margaret Byrne, 21
Dominick Byrne, Senior, 36 - husband of Margaret Byrne
John Durkan, 24
Click here
to read Patrick Hill's statement to the 1879 Commission of Enquiry.
Messages
There were no messages given at Knock.
Miracles and Signs
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The place of the apparitions in Knock became a center for pilgrimage,
now receiving a million visitors per year.
Over three hundred miraculous cures have been reported there, including
the cure of two blind men shortly after the apparition. |
Church Approval
Two commissions of enquiry (1879 and 1936) were established. A Commission was set up within six weeks of the apparition by Most Rev. Dr. John MacHale, Archbishop of Tuam. Fifteen witnesses were examined and the Commission reported that their evidence was 'trustworthy and satisfactory'. The Report was published in the newspapers and immediately pilgrims began to flock from all parts of the country and overseas. The sick and disabled were taken along in great numbers and hundreds of cures were reported in the public press of that time.
In 1936 Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Thomas Patrick Gilmartin, instituted a new investigative
commission which returned with a positive verdict. All three surviving
witnesses confirmed their original statements of 1879. They confirmed the evidence they had given in 1879. One of the witnesses was Mary O'Connell (nee Mary Byrne). She confirmed her evidence, on her death-bed, under oath and added, 'I am perfectly clear about everything I have said and I make this statement knowing I am about to go before my God'. She died six weeks later. The verdict of the Commission determined that the "testimony
of each of the fifteen official witnesses to the apparition was trustworthy
and satisfactory"
Click here to read
Patrick Hill's statement to the 1879 Commission of Enquiry.
In 1954, a Marian year for the whole Catholic world, courtesy of the Vatican Chapter, on December 18th, Our Lady of Knock was crowned with the rites followed by Pius XII in the crowning of the painting of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, in Rome, on November first.
Pope John Paul II visits the shrine for the 100th anniversary
of the apparitions on September 30, 1979. Over 450,000 people came to Knock on that day. On this occasion he presented a Golden Rose, a seldom-bestowed token of papal honour and recognition.
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Knock is celebrated on August 21st.
Prayers
Prayer to Our Lady of Knock
Our Lady of Knock , Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find”. Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to Heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now and at the end of my death. Amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Knock
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Give praise to the Father Almighty, To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, To the Spirit who lives in our hearts, both now and forever. Amen. Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.” Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Grant us peace. ST. JOSEPH, Chosen by God to be The Husband of Mary, The Protector of the Holy Family, The Guardian of the Church. Protect all families In their work and recreation And Guard us on our journey through life. (Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.)
ST. JOHN, Beloved Disciple of the Lord, Faithful priest. Teacher of the Word of God. Help us to hunger for the Word. To be loyal to the Mass And to love one another. (Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.) Our Lady of Knock Pray for Us Refuge of Sinners Pray for Us Queen Assumed into Heaven Pray for Us Queen of the Rosary Pray for Us Mother of Nazareth Pray for Us Queen of Virgins Pray for Us Help of Christians Pray for Us Health of the Sick Pray for Us Queen of Peace Pray for Us Our Lady, Queen and Mother Pray for Us Our Lady, Mother of the Church Pray for Us (Here mention your own special intentions) With the Angels and Saints let us pray: Give praise to the Father Almighty, To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, To the Spirit who lives in our hearts, Both now and forever. Amen. Instruction: The Rosary or Mass and Holy Communion is recommended each day.
Source: Shrine of Our Lady of Knock
Books
Cadhain, Liam Ua. Cnoc Mhuire or the Irish Shrine of the Holy Rosary.
6th ed. Dublin: The Anthonian Press, 1945.
Carey, F. Knock and its shrine. Dublin: Irish Messenger, 1946.
Coyne, William D. Cnoc Muire in picture and story. Galway: O'Gorman, Ltd.,
1945.
Coyne, William D. Cnoc Muire in picture and story. Dublin: Frederick Press,
1957.
Coyne, William D. The Irish shrine of the Holy Rosary (Knock, Co. Mayo),
with some accounts of some remarkable cures. 6th ed. Dublin: Anthonian
Press, 1945.
Coyne, William D. The Irish shrine of the Holy Rosary (Knock, Co. Mayo),
with some accounts of some remarkable cures. 13th ed. Dublin: Anthonian
Press, 1953.
Coyne, William D. Knock Shrine. Galway: O'Gorman Printing House, 1935.
Coyne, William D. Our Lady of Knock in picture and story. New York: Catholic
Book Pub. Co., 1948.
Coyne, William D. Venerable Archdeacon Cavanaugh: pastor of Knock (1867-
1897). Dublin: Knock Shrine Society, 1979.
Curtayne, Alice. The story of Knock. New York: Scapular Press, 1956.
Deevy, W. Notre-Dame apparît en Irlande a Melleray dans une grotte. Hauteville, Switzerland: Editions du Parvis, 1991.
Eugene Hynes. Knock: The Virgin's Apparition in Nineteenth-Century Ireland, Cork University Press, 2008.
Knock Shrine Annual. The Society for promoting the cause of Knock Shrine,
1952.
Knock Shrine Society. Knock Shrine Annual. Dublin: Frederick Press, 1960.
McShane, John. Our Lady of Knock. Indianapolis, IN: Brigittine Press,
1948.
O'Carroll, Michael, C.S.SP. The Secret of Knock. Dublin: Holy Ghost Fathers,
1941.
O'Keefe, Daniel. The Story of Knock. Cork: The Mercier Press, 1949.
Orsini, Mathieu. The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. New York: Peter
F. Collier, 1880.
Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. New York: Thomas Kelly, n.d.
The Queen of Angels. New York: Catholic Publications, 1887.
Our Lady's Irish Shrine. Dublin: Frederick Press, 1951.
Smith, William. Novena in honor of Our Lady of Knock. New York: Paulist
Press, 1954.
Smith, William, S.J. The mystery of Knock. New York: The Paulist Press,
1954.
Walsh, Rev. Michael. The apparition at Knock. A survey of facts and evidence.
2nd ed. Tuam: St. Jarlath's College, 1959.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. Our Lady of Knock Color Book . St. Meinrad: Grail,
1959.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. Cnoc Muire in picture and story. Dublin: Frederick
Press, 1957.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. The Irish shrine of the Holy Rosary (Knock, Co.
Mayo), with some accounts of some remarkable cures. 6th ed. Dublin: Anthonian
Press, 1945.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. The Irish shrine of the Holy Rosary (Knock, Co.
Mayo), with some accounts of some remarkable cures. 13th ed. Dublin: Anthonian
Press, 1953.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. Knock Shrine. Galway: O'Gorman Printing House,
1935.
Windeatt, Mary Fabyan. Our Lady of Knock in picture and story. New York:
Catholic Book Pub. Co., 1948.
Articles
Tassone, Susan. OUR LADY OF KNOCK
HAD LARGELY UNKNOWN CONNECTION TO SOULS IN PURGATORY
Cooke, Kieran . Religious flame burns in Knock. BBC News 2009/05/30
Links
Knock
Folk Museum - Collection of witness accounts, details of
cures, and photographs
Ireland's
National Marian Shrine- official Knock shrine located in
County Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland and the Western edge of Europe
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