Pope's visit to Knock Shrine is confirmed

AS first reported by The Connaught Telegraph a number of weeks ago, Pope Francis will pay a brief visit to the Marian Shrine at Knock during his time in Ireland in August.

Accoridng to the Irish Times today, he will fly by plane from Dublin to Knock airport on Sunday, August 26, and travel by motorcade the 20-kilometre route along the N17 to Knock shrine.

There, according to details of his itinerary obtained by the newspaper, he will say the rosary followed by Angelus at noon in the Apparition Chapel. It is unclear whether he will visit the Basilica.

Afterwards he will fly back to Dublin for a 3 p.m. Mass in the Phoenix Park where crowds will be limited to 600,000 by Garda and city authorities for health and safety reasons.

The planned visit to Knock is believed to be at Pope Francis’s instigation. He has a particular devotion to Mary and earlier this year instituted a new feast in her honour as Mother of the Church.