Original vision of Blessed Virgin Mary at Knock shrine was a fake, says journalist

1879 miraculous sighting of Our Lady was done by a 'magic lantern,' he says

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Apparition Chapel at Knock

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An Irish journalist has suggested that the original vision in 1879 of the Virgin Mary at Knock was a fake, on the weekend that 10,000 thronged the County Mayo basilica in search of another vision.

Eoghan Harris in the Sunday Independent newspaper says his grandfather, a farmer from near the area, believed like many at the time that it was two local policemen with a magic lantern, a device that was widespread in the 19th century which allowed a small lightbox to project an image on a wall, who did it.

Others have suggested that a returning Irish American brought the magic lantern back, though magic lantern tours of rural Ireland and Britain were common at the time.

According to the site Catholictradition.org, the vision began on the evening of August 21, 1879. Mary McLoughlin, the housekeeper to the parish priest of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, was astonished to see the outside south wall of the church bathed in a mysterious light; there were three figures standing in front of the wall, which she mistook for replacements of the stone figures destroyed in a storm.

She rushed through the rain to her friend Margaret Byrne's house. After a half hour Mary decided to leave and Margaret's sister Mary agreed to walk home with her.

As they passed the church they saw and amazing vision very clearly: Standing out from the gable and to the west of it appeared the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and St. John. The figure of the Blessed Virgin was life-size, while the others seemed to be neither as large nor as tall.

They stood a little away from the gable wall about two feet from the ground. The Virgin was erect with her eyes toward Heaven, and she was wearing a large white cloak hanging in full folds. On her head was a large crown.

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