Mother Mary Queen of Ireland Rosary Bracelet
- Our Lady of Knock, St. Patrick Catholic Chaplet -

This rosary bracelet is dedicated to Mother Mary Queen of Ireland, also known as Our Lady of Knock, and St. Patrick. The bracelet has a color design inspired by the Irish countryside, offering a vibrant combo of green quartzite, purple amethyst, and Swarovski emerald and yellow crystals. The quartzite is a beautiful shade of green (added and heat enhanced), reminiscent of Ireland in the summer. The amethyst beads represent the late summer's lovely heather, and the yellow crystals recall the yellow gorse that, as purple's complementary hue, always makes the heather look even prettier.

The Italian holy medal is a beautifully detailed two-sided base-metal oval. It depicts the visionary scene of Our Lady of Knock on the front and the patrician figure of St. Patrick on the back. A complimentary holy card is included, from La Salette National Shrine, a sweet place of peace and contemplation in MA. The medal is from a lovely Trappist abbey, Mount St. Mary, in Wrentham, MA.

Included are the following: small faceted amethyst, TierraCast daisy spacers, sterling silver crimps and wire guards, silver-plated lobster clasp, an extender chain, and high-quality 49-strand beading wire. Most of these items were made in the USA.
 

An inspirational piece of religious jewelry, this special rosary chaplet would make a perfect gift for anyone who is engaged in Marian devotion and loves Ireland. It would also be a delightful gift for St. Patrick's Day! Vibrant, sparkly, and unique, it was handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in a pretty organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to someone who will love it—perhaps you! 

ABOUT OUR LADY OF KNOCK
Our Lady of Knock is also known as the Queen of Ireland. Both are titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in association with her 1879 apparition in the town of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland. The vision occurred on a rainy August evening near the south wall of the town's Catholic church, and was first witnessed by a rectory housekeeper, Mary McLoughlin, and a friend's sister, Mary Byrne. That area of the church grounds, including the wall, glowed with a beautiful light, revealing an apparition of Our Lady, who looked life-sized and was flanked by two smaller visionary figures, St. Joseph and St. John. Mary Byrne hurried home to gather her family and bring them to the site. Other townspeople soon joined them. Travelers at a far distance also noticed the strange light around the church. After 3 hours or so, the vision and the light slowly disappeared. Unlike many other Marian visitations, such as those in Fatima, this one involved no auditory communication.

The Catholic Church is typically conservative in its confirmation of sacred visions, and in this case, the diocese suggested that a certain Protestant constable had played a joke on everyone. The people of Knock refused to accept that theory, though. Soon many others in Ireland heard about the visitation, and the next year, Knock became a pilgrimage site. Two years later, an archbishop from Toronto visited the site and later claimed that Our Lady of Knock had healed him of an illness. In 1936, Mary Byrne, now age 86, was interviewed by Church representatives. Her experience at Knock had been related to Catholic authorities back in 1879, and now remained exactly the same.

In 1971, the apparition of Knock was approved as "quite probable" by the Church. Although the vision has never been fully confirmed, the church at Knock is a popular draw for Irish believers as well as Catholic visitors to Ireland. My own visit there was a contemplative experience, and that the weather was "soft," with misty rain, seemed quite appropriate. I've included a picture I took there, of the new church—Our Lady Queen of Ireland—which was built in 1976 at the visitation site. The statues were added to the church in 1994.

ABOUT QUARTZITE & AMETHYST

Quartzite is considered a stone of stabilization, especially during times of many changes or great change. Amethyst is considered a stone of protection that deflects negative influences, lowers stress, and calms the mind. It is the birthstone for February.

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