The "Nazareth" of England

The "Ballad of Walsingham" contained in a 15^th-century manuscript (1) tells the story of an apparition of the Virgin Mary to a widowed noblewoman, Lady Richedis, who wanted to do something for the honor of Our Lady.

On three occasions, the Virgin led her to Nazareth "in spirit" and showed her the place where the Archangel Gabriel had greeted her. Then she let her take the measures of the small house so that she could replicate it in Walsingham, to build a shrine in honor of the Annunciation, source of the Redemption of mankind.

Tradition has it that Lady Rachedis undertook to build a chapel but that the dimensions did not seem clear to her or to the builders. While she spent the night in prayer, Our Lady made the angels finish the construction on the site that she wanted, about 200 feet from where the workers had begun.

Over the years, many miracles were attributed to Our Lady of Walsingham, including the protection of King Edward I who was saved from a falling piece of masonry wall. In the 14th century, the “Miraculous House of Norfolk” in Walsingham was supplanted by the Holy House of Loreto in Italy, near Ancona, but this chapel remains one of the most important Marian Catholic shrines in England, a country known as "Our Lady's Dowry."

(1) Walsingham is located in Norfolk County, England

The Marie de Nazareth team