Our Lady of Walsingham

Our Lady of Walsingham is a title of the Virgin Mary that is deeply rooted in English Catholic history and tradition. It is associated with the visions of Richeldis de Faverches, a devout English noblewoman who lived in the 11th century. According to tradition, in 1061, Mary appeared to Richeldis and instructed her to build a replica of the Holy House of Nazareth in Walsingham, Norfolk, England. Richeldis followed Mary’s guidance and constructed the Holy House, which became a place of pilgrimage and devotion. The shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham attracted countless pilgrims over the centuries and was known as “England’s Nazareth.” It was considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in medieval Europe. Though the original shrine was destroyed during the English Reformation, interest in Our Lady of Walsingham was revived in the 20th century, and a new shrine was established in the village of Little Walsingham. Today, it continues to be a place of devotion and pilgrimage for Catholics and Anglicans, symbolizing Mary’s enduring presence in English religious life.