Deepertruth: Our Lady of Walsingham, England

In 1061, Our Lady appeared to Richeldis de Faverches, a Catholic English noblewoman in the village of Walsingham in Norfolk, England.  Our Lady of Walsingham presented her with the plans of the Holy House of the Holy Family in Nazareth and asked that she build the house as a shrine and place of pilgrimage.

The chapel was founded by Richeldis, the mother of Geoffrey of Favraches as confirmed by the earliest deeds.  According to the text of the Pynson Ballad (c 1485), Richeldis de Faverches prayed that she might perform special deed as a gift to honor Our Lady. The Virgin Mary answered her prayer and led her in spirit to Nazareth, showing her the location where the Annunciation had occurred. Our Lady requested that a a replica house be built in Walsingham to serve as a memory of the Annunciation for all time.