Irish spiritual healer Joe Coleman says the Virgin Mary spoke to him this weekend and revealed that she would appear at Knock on "the fifth day of the holy month."

Coleman, from Ballyfermot in Dublin, said the Virgin Mary had asked him not to relay this message immediately.

Coleman said that Our Lady said: “Thank you for responding to my call. I am so happy. I smile on this day, 31st October 2009, at my beloved Knock.

"I wish to thank all the people who came today to pray, to give thanks to my beloved father God the Almighty.

“ . . . I ask for conversion many times. I ask for peace. I ask for prayers every day for my son’s apostles . . . I will visit one day soon on the fifth day of the holy month. Peace be with you, my children.”

Another man, Keith Henderson said he had also received a message from the Blessed Virgin Mary: “I love all my children unconditionally with my immaculate heart, especially all my priests who are not listening to my call. I ask all my children to pray for my priests. Pray. Pray. Pray.”

Meanwhile, officials in Knock have launched a massive clean-up at the Marian Shrine to clear the piles of debris left behind by the 15,000 people who turned out at the weekend to see the predicted apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Shrine manager Pat Lavelle said he had to bring in industrial cleaners to clear the place up.

"The carpet around the altar was littered with food, soft drinks and crisps," he said.

"The whole church was a mess and the seating area will have to be rearranged," he added. "The shrine staff have redoubled efforts to do this."

And he said that he would be "reviewing" proposals to allow another gathering.

Lavelle also spoke out on national radio in Ireland saying that nothing had happened on Saturday.

"Nothing happened on October 11 and no apparition took place on Saturday last. All he (Joe Coleman) can rely on is get people to look at the sun."