Pope John Paul's prayers were answered at Knock yesterday. It rained, and abundantly. Considering the Pope's role in making it one of the major Marian Shrines in the world, it was appropriate that, of all of them, it was at Knock his plea on behalf of "the victims of this calamity" (Europe's heatwave) that all "ask the Lord fervently to grant the thirsty Earth the coolness of rain", found response.
Reminders of his visit to the shrine on September 30th, 1979 are everywhere.
Most striking, perhaps, is the Golden Rose he donated as a gift and which is now prominently displayed in a glass case in a wall near the original church gable where it is believed Our Lady appeared just over 100 years previously, on August 21st, 1879.
In the Basilica, which the Pope formally opened on his 1979 visit, over 6,000 people attended concelebrated mass yesterday afternoon, led by Bishop Christopher Jones of the Elphin diocese which was holding its annual pilgrimage to Knock. It was day four of the annual National Novena in Honour of Our Lady of Knock and, on Friday last - the feast of the Assumption - over 20,000 people attended the shrine.
Speaking at the Basilica yesterday, the parish priest of Knock, Father Joseph Quinn, estimated that over the nine-day novena period - between August 14th and 22nd - an estimated 100,000 people were expected. Numbers this year were up on previous years, he said.
The pilgrims are mainly Irish and come from all over the island but, as was evident yesterday, many are foreigners. Literature at the shrine is in Polish, Italian, German and Spanish, as well as English.
Father Quinn explained that the annual novena was begun as recently as 1977, when the late Monsignor Horan was parish priest at Knock. It was felt that something should be done in August to focus attention on devotion to Mary, not least as the feast day of Our Lady of Knock is August 21st.
However, the pilgrimage season is not limited to these days in August, but extends annually from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in October, and usually also involves planned visits by groups from most dioceses in Ireland.
Another annual highlight is the Padre Pio mass in September which attracts crowds of up to 15,000 every year.
The Basilica, designed by Daithi Hanly, and its covered surrounds can accommodate approximately 15,000 people, with seating for 5,000 inside. A team of up to 1,000 stewards and handlers look after pilgrims, particularly the sick, on a rota basis.
Attendance by the sick and disabled is a particular feature of pilgrimages to the shrine, with an estimated 100 such people there yesterday, accompanying the Elphin group. Many are accommodated at the St John's Rest and Care Centre. The Blessing of the Sick is also a major element in ceremonies at the shrine.
There have been many reports of sick and disabled people believing they have been cured at Knock, Father Quinn said.
He said such claims averaged between 20 and 30 every year, but that none had been investigated by church authorities. However, people continued to write to him and to the Knock Shrine Annual giving details of their cures.
However, the greatest miracle at the shrine for him occurred at the confessional chapel where people "experiencing pain and worse have found peace". Between 20 and 40 priests attended at the chapel on busy days to hear confession.
Some members of the Travelling community were also in Knock yesterday, but their numbers were down on Friday, the traditional day for Travellers to visit Knock. Upwards of 100 Traveller caravans had been parked in the village at times over the weekend, some breaching regulations by parking in a council car park, and in a car park near the shrine.
The apparitions which inspired the shrine took place over a two-hour period on a wet Thursday evening in 1879 when 15 local people saw a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with St Joseph to her right, the Evangelist St John to her left and, behind them on a plain altar, a cross with a lamb surrounded by angels.
Two official church inquiries, in 1879 and 1936, concluded that "the testimony of the witnesses, taken as a whole, was trustworthy and satisfactory".