MIDNIGHT VISION AT WELSH SHRINE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 40, 21 October 1925, Page 17

MIDNIGHT VISION AT WELSH SHRINE

APPARITION OF OUR LADY: - SIX PILGRIMS’ CLAIM. How a Cardiff woman is stated to have witnessed, with five other pilgrims, an “Apparition of Onr Lady” at midnight on the eve of the visitation at St. Winifrede’, Hospice, Holywell, the famous North Wales shrine, is described in a signed statement sent by Miss Sarah Leonard, a member of the Children of Mary (a Catholic organisation) to the Universe, which publishes the story with due reserve (says the Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News lor August 22). After stating that “I am not a per? m given to seeing * visions ’ . . . nor do I believe in signs of any kind,” and explaining that six of them saw the apparition, the writer (who claims to have twice had a bad leg cured after bathing in the well), says that everyone in the hospice had retired to lest at 10 p.m. as usual. * • “A lady from Cardiff occupying a bed in the same dormitory as myself found she had forgotten to bring her usual supply of St. Winifrede’s water, which she was in the habit of drinking during the night," continues the statement. “She determined to go downstairs for some. I knew she would be unable to get any, as the doors at the foot of the staircase were locked. I was on the point of telling her this, but something stopped me from speaking. “A Beautiful-Statue.” “It was now about 11 p.m., and hoboch in our room had yet settled down to, sleep. I was waiting for the lady’s return, and prepared to listen to the story , of disapr»o;ntment, when, to my amazement, she came

back in a great state of excitement, exclaiming, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. What is. that? There is a beautiful statue, or vision, at the bottom of the stairs. I dare not go any further.” yj "The younger visitors were tip distantly to see what was happening. The first-named lady came to my bed and said: ‘I am sure it is the Blessed Virgin. Will you come and see?’ . “'I replied: ‘ Your nerves are out of ordei. There is no room for a statue there, and it must be a light from the fanlight. 1 “After much persuasion, to please the lady, I very reluctantly consented to go with her. I really did not wish to do so, as I cannot walk without the aid of a stick. “When I reached the top of the staircase I. was staggered. There was a beautiful, dazzling light, such as could only be Heavensent. For a. few moments speech left me, but, gathering courage, I went down a few stairs, “To speak the honest truth, I never thought of the Blessed Virgin. Naturally, owing to the cures wrought at the Well, I thought of St. Winifrede and was looking for the martyred saint of Wales. But there was no staff and no martyr’s palm, as we always see in the representations of St. Winifrede. The Vision Clears. “By now six of us were present, and, lo and behold, as I exclaimed, ‘ This is not St. Winifrede,’ the Vision cleared. Slowly came the head and shoulders, then the whole form of Our Blessed Lady, Clinging to the rails, I gazed on the Mother of God! One or two of the others said to me: W ill you be brave enough to go down alone, and we will stay at the top and pray?’ “I went whilst the 1 Hail, ■ Mary!’ w r as being recited. Then, as before, the light was blinding, but the vision again cleared, and Onr Lady appeared once more. “The first time I saw Her was with Her head boned and her hands, joined, the hole figure being of purest white. There was no color of any kind. . This is not Our Lady of Lourdes,’ I said, but now the hands dropped slowly down and I recognised the Immaculate Conception. From my lips fell the words, ‘ 0 Alary,sconceived without sin, Thou^art' all fair, my -Mother, and there is no spot in Thee.’ Gazed in Rapture. “I gazed in rapture at the beautiful image, so fair to look upon. It was a sight I will never forget. Neither will the other five to whom the privilege was given of seeing the Queen of Heaven. The snow on the mountains is yellow compared with the dazzling whiteness of that glorious Vision. “I did not remain to see it vanish, but leturucd slowly, up the stairs and roused the other pilgrims. We recited the Rosary and other prayers. Some wept bitterly, others were stunned with awe. The other five pilgrims whom I left behind remained on the top of the stairs and saw the Vision disappear from sight.” ■The Superior of the Hospice, Sister Mary Patrick, states that “One could not doubt the evidence” given by the ! lady who first roused the pilgrims, and says the, above account is the same as that; told to her the morning following the incidents related.