Apparition of the Blessed Virgin at the Chapel of Knock.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3517, 3 April 1880, Page 2

Apparition of the Blessed Virgin at the Chapel of Knock.

(PBOK THE TTTAM NEWS OF JAK. lOlH.)

The affair of less local importance unconnected with religion than the apparitions which hare now on three occasions been seen by numbers of persons of all sexes and of all ages, would long before this hare occupied a promi* nent place in the columns of the press. All that may be said in the following lines is an expression of the feelings of the people, and does not pretend to anticipate the judgment which the ecclesiastical superiors may express upon the facts, of which they are already cognizant. The chapel of Knock, at which the apparitions have occurred, is about fire miles from Claremorris, and its gilt cross which Burmounts the lofty tower cad be sees for miles around. The priest, who so, worthily presides over the parish, 'is the renerable archdeacon of the diocese*—the Very Rev. Bartholomew Cavanagh. The chapel is of cruciform shape. The sacristy occupies the upper and smaller shaft, and is immediately behind the high altar. In the gable of the sacristy there is a Gothic window about fire feet by two broad ; its lower part is about twelve feet from the ground. The remainder of the gable is plain, and was covered outside by a good tubs tan tial coating of cement, to protect Kb wall from the rains, which beat with great violence especially upon this side. On this gable wall of the sacristy wore seen these extraordinary lights, in the midst of which the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist, appeared. On Wednesday last, on arriving at the place, there were a great number of people on [ their knees .before the scene of | the apparition, and around were already many ear votes in the shape of a i crutch, walking sticks, and statues, sent by those who believe that they have been miraculously cured through the intercession of the Blessed Tirgiu by the applU

cation of some of tke cement and dust taken from the wall, the greater part of which is greatly disfigured by persons breaking off portions of the cement, some of which, following the good example of the pious people, we also carried off with us. On Thursday evening, the 21st of August last, the eve of the octave day of the Assumption of the liiesaed Virgin Mary, was accompanied by a blinding drizzle of rain, which continued till the next day. As some persons were hurriedly going along the road which leads by the chapel, at about 7.30. they perceived the wall beautifully illuminated by a white flickering light, through which could be perceived brilliant stars twinkling as on a fine frosty night. The first person who saw it passed on, but others soon came and remained, and these saw covering a large portion of the gable end of the sacristy an altar, and to its Gospel side the figures of St. John the Evangelist, the Blessed Virgin, and St. Joseph. On the altar, which stood about eight feet from the ground, and immediately under the window, a lamb stood, and rising up behind the lamb was a crucifix with the figure of our Lord upon it. The altar was surrounded by a brilliant white light, through which up and down angels seemed to be flitting. Near the altar, and immediately to its Gospel side, but nearer to the ground, was St. John, having a mitre on his head, and holding the book of the Gospels open in his left band as if reading from it. He held his right hand raised, and in the act of blessing, the index and middle fingers being extended after the manner adopted by bishops. To St. John's right stood the Blessed Virgin, having her hands extended and raised towards her shoulders, the palms of her hands turned towards the people, and her eyes raised up towards heaven. To the Blessed Virgin's jnght was St. Joseph, ' turned towards her and in an ineHaiog^ posture. These figures remained visible from 7.30 to 10 o'clock, witnessed during that time by about twenty persons, who. forgot all about the heavy rain that was then falling and drenched them thoroughly. The light at the chapel was seen by people who lived near the place. She appeared a second time on New Year's day between the hours of 1 and 2 o'clock, just immediately after Mass. On Monday evening last, the eve of the Epiphany, a bright light was again visible, and, from 11 o'clock p.m. until 2 o'clock a.m., was seen by a very large number, of whom two were members )of the Royal Irish Constabulary, who were on their patrol duty that evening. One of them says that «p to that time he did not believe in it, but, he was really startled by the brightneai of the light which he saw. Many cures have been worked through theinteroession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and by the application of the cement taken from the chapel wall. We have heard from the mouths of most trustworthy witnessei an account of nearly a dozen cores of which the narrators themselves were .eyewitnesses.

In addition to what we have already written regarding the visions seen at the chapel of Knock, two remarkable miracles. witnessed by hundreds of persons, were performed yesterday—namely, sight restored to two young girls, one of whom had, on the testimony of her mother, not seen anything since her birth. She had been several times with physicians in Dublin; but all to no purpose. Yesterday, in the presence of hundreds, she - received the use of sight, having visited three times the spot where the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, and after praying three times in honor of the Mother of God. .