I was watching a documentary about the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I who all but eliminated Catholicism in England by the time of her death in 1603. One of her reforms was to remove rood screens from all Anglican churches. The rood screen separated the altar from the congregation but were beautifully painted with religious pictures which the Queen considered to be idolatry. The presenter explained that on the rood screen was a picture of Jesus in the centre, the Blessed Virgin on the right and St John on the left. This struck me as being like the image of the apparition at Knock in the 19th century. The blessed Virgin Mary stood with her husband St Joseph and St John the Evangelist with Jesus represented as the Lamb on the altar. Images are an important witness and reminders of the faith. In our home we have religious pictures in every room (this used to be common in every Catholic home in Ireland). I say this to encourage all on the forum to reclaim our homes for Christ and his holy Mother as these images are constant reminders of the mystical Church. God Bless you all.
Garabandal, I have to say that I have no religious pictures at all. for a long time I did not have any interest at all in my religion. I do have 1 statue - that of St. Michael the Archangel and a Crucifix. I do intend to get a picture of the Divine Mercy. Was the rood scene the same in all Anglican Churches, it is strange though that it is the same as Knock. I often wonder about knock and what message it was delivering.
Emmett O'Regan makes good connections between knock and The Book of Revelation. http://unveilingtheapocalypse.blogspot.ie/2012/11/the-prophetic-symbolism-of-our-lady-of.html He does not mention the great Irish famine where over 1.5 million Irish starved to death, eventhough there was never a time when more food was exported from Ireland, under armed guard... That part of Mayo around knock was one of the worst parts of Ireland affected. Also even more than 1.5 million people emigrated from Ireland. The famine ended about 30 yrs before the apparation. I assume there is a connection between Our Ladys appearance in Knock and the famine especially as the Lamb who was sacrificed apeared on the alter.
Knock reminds me of the apparition at Zeitun Egypt. Where nothing was said just her presence. Just peace. God Bless!
The Anglicans took over the Catholic churches and Elizabeth ordered the rood screens to be taken out. For her images of faith were idolatrous. Protestantism became embedded in England and Catholicism became a minority religion.
