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Why? They represent a popular religion and quiet

spirituality that relates to the locality, social and natural;

the stories of their founding are fascinating (especially

when there are apparitions) and tell you a lot about the

history of the village, town and country where they are

situated.

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Which? I help to look after the cave chapel of Our Lady of

the Crag, Knaresborough. It is Roman Catholic but the

Church does not want to take responsibility for it, so myself

and others formed a local trust to maintain it. The best way

forward for it is probably as a centre for prayer, pilgrimage

and spirituality for people of any faith. It is also of great

historical interest (over 600 years old).

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Where? I have drawn up a map of 150 shrines of Our Lady and the female saints in Britain and Ireland. It was very enjoyable researching it and travelling to all the places. I know England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland so much better as a result! I also investigate Western European shrines of Mary in several countries.

 

Favourite shrines? The shrines of the Black Virgin and Madonna in Majesty of the Auvergne in France. These are really awe-inspiring and often in places of great beauty.

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Why did you study apparitions? I couldn’t get into East Germany to study my undergraduate dissertation on the Church in a communist country, so my professor (Adrian Hastings) told me to choose something else. I had become interested in apparitions of Mary – I suggested those to him, and he was quite keen! That led to a PhD supervised by him.

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Visionaries that you have met? My wife and I were guests of Angela Volpini of Casanova Staffora in 2015 (her visions occurred in 1947-56 and she founded a religious organisation as a consequence, Nova Cana). Angela and her community were wonderfully hospitable and we were very impressed with her. The first apparition shrine that I heard about was Banneux in Belgium at the time of its 50th anniversary (1983). I didn’t realise that I would stay in the hotel owned by the visionary, the late Mariette Beco, in 1988 – she was then in her 60s, having been a visionary at the age of 11. I also met well-known visionaries in Ireland in the 1980s, a woman in her 30s, Mary Casey, and a girl of 18, Colleen McGuiness. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the viewpoint of all the visionaries I have heard about, but those with whom I have talked have been warm, genuine and interesting people.

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Most famous shrine you have visited? It has to be Lourdes. From an anthropological point of view, the grotto is like a womb. It is associated with a mother (Mary) and from it comes the healing water. It is as if the womb gives birth to a spiritual force that heals and rescues people, spiritually and sometimes physically. From an orthodox Christian and Catholic view, this spiritual force would be Christ, yet there is something more primal and fundamental about it than the doctrine of any faith.

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Favourite shrines in Britain and Ireland? There are really picturesque places like Uwchmynydd or St David’s in Wales and Gougane Barra in Ireland. However, I also love the inner city shrines in e.g. Coventry, Ipswich and some in London. The idea of a Marian presence in the midst of the chaos of the city is just as uplifting as when it is in a place of obvious natural beauty. And there’s the shrine I know best, the stunning cave chapel of Our Lady of the Crag in Knaresborough.

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Visit them – you might get the bug!