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The first pilgrimage to the French shrine of Our Lady of Liesse (diocese of Soissons in northern France) for converts of Islam, took place on June 5 and 6, 2021.
Why choose this shrine? Here is a little historic background to help understand its importance:
In 1110, three young knights from Laon set out to welcome and care for pilgrims to the Holy Land. Ambushed in Ashkelon around 1134, they were taken prisoner and taken to Cairo. The sultan of Egypt asked them to renounce their Christian faith, threatening them with death if they refused. The knights all refused, so the sultan sent his own daughter Ismeria (1) to try to convert them. Ismeria inquired about their beliefs and also asked to see an image of the Virgin Mary. One of the knights said he would sculpt one for her. The knights began to pray fervently, asking the Mother of God to help them. When they woke up the next morning, they found an already-made statue! They named her Our Lady of Liesse (rejoicing, jubilation) because, as they said, “she brought us joy, and she will always rejoice the hearts”.
Ismeria was deeply moved by that image. The following night, the Virgin Mary appeared to her in a dream, encouraging her to become a Christian. Ismeria then fled her country with the knights, and the group found themselves miraculously transported to the knights’ native village, known today as Liesse. Ismeria was baptized by the bishop of Laon and took the name of Mary.
The Virgin of Liesse became famous through her numerous miracles. The people built her a chapel, then a basilica. This shrine was a well-known site of pilgrimage until the French Revolution. Today pilgrims again come in great numbers to venerate Mary, "cause of our joy".
Letter from Eleutheros (2) July 2021
(1) Today the “Mission Ismérie” program serves Muslims converts to the Christian faith.
(2) Eleutheros is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and promote freedom of conscience, of choice and of practice of the Christian religion for those who want to become or remain Christians and are subject to pressure, threats or even persecution.