Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham

Celebrated on September 24th

Our Lady of Walsingham is England's national Marian shrine.

According to legend, Our Lady appeared in Walsingham to the Saxon noblewoman Richeldis de Faverches, in 1061.

In three visions Richeldis was taken by Mary to be shown the house in Nazareth where Gabriel had announced the news of the birth of Jesus. Our Lady then asked her to build an exact replica of that house in Walsingham.

Later, Geoffrey de Faverches, left instructions for the building of a Priory by the Holy House. The Priory passed into the care of Augustinian Canons somewhere between 1146 and 1174.

Throughout the centuries, Walsingham became one of the most popular shrines in England. Many pilgrims returned from their visit healed in body and spirit. Walsingham received visits from King Henry III, Edward II, Edward III, Henry IV, Edward IV, Henry VII and Henry VIII, who finally brought about its destruction in 1538.

In 1897, the first official Catholic pilgrimage after the Reformation took place at the restored 14th century Slipper Chapel, which is now the centre of the Roman Catholic National Shrine.

In the 1920s the Anglican shrine began growing in the remains of the original Priory and now has its own church, housing a copy of the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham and a replica of the Holy House. There is also now a Russian Orthodox chapel in Walsingham. The village is home to many retreat centres and pilgrim hostels and once again attracts thousands of pilgrims each year.

For more information and pictures visit: www.walsingham.org.uk

Also St Robert of Knaresborough

Hermit. Born in 1160, in York, the son of an important townsman, Robert became a religious early in life. As a subdeacon he was a novice at the Cistercian abbey of Newminster, but only stayed a few months before choosing to be a solitary.

Robert lived in a cave in Knaresborough, where another hermit was a knight in hiding from Richard I. When the king died, the knight returned to his wife. St Robert stayed on for some time, until a wealthy widow offered him a cell and chapel at Rudfarlington. Unfortunately bandits destroyed his home.

For a few months, Robert lived under the church wall at Spofforth. He then moved in with the monks at Hedley for a time, but found their lives too comfortable and returned to the ruins at Rudfarlington. Here he had four companions and kept livestock, but soon got into trouble with William de Stuteville, the constable of Knaresborough, who accused him of harbouring outlaws. Again his home was destroyed and Robert returned to his cave where he lived for the rest of his life.

St Robert was never officially canonised but a huge cult grew around him after his death on this day in 1218. The site of his chapel where many miracles are said to have occurred, can still be seen, overlooking the River Nidd.