sources: https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/our-lady-of-knock.html & wikipedia.org/wiki/knock_shrine
also known as our lady of SILENCE and our lady of IRELAND. knock is in mayo county, Ireland.
>apparition day: 21 august 1879
>context: there was family, economic dislocation due to forced evictions, leading to immigration
>event: at around 8pm (till about 11PM), in pouring rain, the parish (of st john the baptist) priest's (archdeacon Cavanaugh -- who did not come out to the disappointment of the devout villagers) housekeeper, MARY McLoughlin (45 years old) saw 3 figures in front of the church's south gabled* wall (about 2 feet above ground) bathed in bright white light (people from afar saw the bright white light in the direction of the parish church) which did not flicker or move. she initially thought these were replacements of some stone figures destroyed in a storm.
they were identified as THE BLESSED MOTHER "deep in prayer" with hands held up till her shoulders dressed in white with complete folds & fastened on her neck, ST. JOSEPH also in white to her right slightly bowed down towards her direction, and ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST with a mitre & a large book in his left hand & appeared to be preaching, and JESUS, represented by the LAMB with a CROSS with ANGELS hovering around.
https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/our-lady-of-knock.htm
despite the rain, the ground around the figures remained completely dry & the figures did not flicker or move in any way despite the darkness
https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/our-lady-of-knock.html
she rushed to her friend MARAGERT BYRNE's (age 21) house who ran to tell her family.
whenever someone approached the figures so near, they would retreat a little towards the wall -- seemingly always beyond reach.
the parish priest informed the bishop who created an investigation committee. despite having no final decision, the people started to have pilgrimages to the apparition site which formally started in 1880.
https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/our-lady-of-knock.htm
in 1936, with the records presumed to have been gone, another committee was created to investigate the events. the living witnesses relayed exactly the same narrative in 1879, especially Mary Byrne (aged 86 by that time) who married, sired 6 children, and lived in knock until her death.
miracles: aside from the fact the figures sustained a bright white light amidst the darkness & remained dry despite the rains (rain & darkness did not overcome the light & warmth that they exuded!)
in 1882, archbishop john joseph lynch of Toronto visited the parish & claimed to have bee HEALED by the Virgin of Knock.
since then, sticks & cruches as signs of cures and favors received have been left on the scene & are on display at the Marian shrine.
the yearly pilgrimage reached around 500,000. all parishes in Ireland schedule their own pilgrimages throughout the year.
in 1971 (92 years after) the apparitions were finally approved as "quite probable" but never formally stated.
Jesus, Mary, & Joseph & John, pray for us who have recourse to you! -- lead us to sacred silence, prayer, listening & meditating on the Word, & follow the way of the lamb of sacrifice. Amen.
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gable = the triangular wall on both ends of a gambrel (legging/leg) roof (wikipedia)
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