The history of Knock Shrine begins on a soggy August 21, 1879, in the small Irish village of Knock, County Mayo. Several celestial apparitions appeared that night, illuminating the peaceful rural scene. The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint John the Evangelist, and an altar decorated with a lamb and a cross were displayed in a mesmerizing tableau before a group of fifteen witnesses, representing a range of ages.
The villagers were enthralled and filled with awe as these ethereal manifestations appeared on the exterior wall of the neighborhood parish church. These unassuming witnesses saw something that was beyond their comprehension, and word of the miraculous event quickly spread throughout Ireland.