Our Lady of Willesden facts for kids
Our Lady of Willesden is a special name for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many Christians in London, especially Anglicans and Catholics, honor her under this name. It's connected to an old statue and a place where people go on pilgrimage in Willesden. Willesden was once a small village in Middlesex, England. Now, it's a part of London. Before a big religious change called the Reformation, this place was home to a famous statue known as the Black Madonna of Willesden.
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History of the Shrine
Willesden was once a country area, about eight miles from London. It has always had a well, which is a natural spring. The name "Willesden" actually means "spring at the foot of the hill." This well was linked to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was also connected to St Mary's Church, which is named after her.
The church and well are very old. They were first mentioned in a royal paper from the year 939. We don't know exactly when people started making pilgrimages here. But many pilgrims visited the site long ago. Special medals for pilgrims were made and sold. Archeologists have found some of these old medals. Even Thomas More, a famous historical figure, visited this shrine just two weeks before he was arrested.
An official report from 1249 mentions two statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St Mary's Church. We don't know what the second statue was. But the main one was the "Black Madonna" of Our Lady of Willesden. This statue was the most important part for pilgrims. People believed it had amazing, miraculous powers.
During the Reformation, many shrines to Mary in England were destroyed. Their statues were burned. The "Black Madonna" of Our Lady of Willesden was taken to Chelsea in 1538. There, the King's officials burned it.
Restoring the Shrines
Today, Our Lady of Willesden has two shrines. This is similar to Our Lady of Walsingham, another famous shrine. The original shrine has been brought back to life at the Anglican parish church of St Mary. A new Catholic shrine has also been created. It is about two miles away at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Willesden. There, a crowned statue of Our Lady is the main focus. At both Willesden and Walsingham, these two shrines help different Christian groups work together.
St. Mary's Church Shrine
In the early 1900s, Reverend James Dixon, the Vicar of Willesden, helped restore the shrine. He placed a golden statue of Mary and Jesus in the church. It was put where the old statue used to be. A small number of pilgrims started visiting again.
The Right Reverend Graham Leonard, who was the Bishop of Willesden from 1964 to 1973, encouraged people to visit the shrine. In 1972, a new "Black Madonna" statue was made by a sculptor named Catharni Stern. Once it was finished, it was placed in a special chapel inside St Mary's church. This chapel is now called the Shrine Chapel. Visiting this chapel is a very important part of the Willesden pilgrimage today.
The older golden statue was left in its place. So, since 1972, the shrine has had two statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is just like it was in medieval times, according to that old report from 1249.
The original spring and holy well at St Mary's Church had been lost after the Reformation. But they were found again in 1998. Now, they are used once more.
The original shrine at St Mary's Church is managed by the church's local council. They work closely with a group called the Chapter of Our Lady of Willesden. This group helps guide the shrine's daily activities.
The Companionate of Our Lady of Willesden is a group for Anglicans who want to be connected to the shrine. It is led by a bishop. Members of this group are called priest-companions or lay-companions. They wear a special badge and promise to pray for the shrine. They also try to visit it when they can.
People come on private pilgrimages and church group pilgrimages to the shrine all year. But the main national pilgrimage happens on a Saturday in July. On this day, there is usually a public procession in the morning. A special church service called Mass is held at midday in St Mary's church. In the afternoon, there are stalls and fun activities. Later, people visit the holy well. The day ends with a special blessing.
Catholic Church of Our Lady of Willesden
In 1885, a Catholic mission was started in Harlesden. This was for the growing Irish population in the area. With help from a local convent, people started to honor Our Lady of Willesden. A new statue was blessed by Cardinal Vaughan in 1892.
At first, the mission used a temporary chapel. In 1907, a larger church was built. The mission became a full parish in 1918. A new church and shrine were built in 1931. A special chapel inside this church is the shrine chapel of Our Lady of Willesden. A group called the Guild of Our Lady of Willesden was started in 2002. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Willesden on October 3rd. The annual Catholic pilgrimage takes place in May.
