Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla
Encyclopedia
The Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla is an Australian site venerating the Virgin Mary
, the mother of Jesus
. The shrine is inside the Anglican parish church in Yankalilla
, a town one hour's drive southeast of Adelaide
, South Australia
. In August 1994 an image was said to have become visible on a wall behind the altar of the 137-year-old stone church. The image was interpreted to be an image of the Virgin Mary which depicted her face, features, shoulders and abdomen. It is also claimed that the image depicts Mary holding the crucified Christ in the manner of a pietà
. Her gaze is directed toward the tabernacle
below, which contains the consecrated eucharist
ic bread. It is also claimed that an image of a rose (a symbol of Mary) appears at the bottom of the larger image.
Two years after the image appeared on the wall, the Adelaide Advertiser covered the story. Within a few days, the news media descended on the small seaside town and the first pilgrim
s began arriving from Australia and overseas. In December 1996, the Bishop of The Murray
blessed the church as "The Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla". A Canadian-born parish priest, Andrew Notere, was involved in developing the church as a pilgrimage centre and several documentaries were filmed. One, Visions of Yankalilla, has been screened on a number of national broadcast services worldwide. The shrine has become the centre of a healing ministry; it has been the venue of several claimed sightings of the Virgin, and several photos of the Madonna in the church.
A well for holy water
is on the site, and a hybrid rose has been cultivated called "Our Lady of Yankalilla". The South Australia Tourism Commission has developed a marketing brochure for the shrine entitled "Mary Among the Eucalypts". The Australian artist Pro Hart
donated a painting to the shrine, and a large mural of the Virgin of Yankalilla has been mounted on an exterior wall of the retreat centre adjacent to the church.
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, the mother of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. The shrine is inside the Anglican parish church in Yankalilla
Yankalilla, South Australia
Yankalilla is an agriculturally-based town situated on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, located 72 km south of the state's capital of Adelaide...
, a town one hour's drive southeast of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. In August 1994 an image was said to have become visible on a wall behind the altar of the 137-year-old stone church. The image was interpreted to be an image of the Virgin Mary which depicted her face, features, shoulders and abdomen. It is also claimed that the image depicts Mary holding the crucified Christ in the manner of a pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
. Her gaze is directed toward the tabernacle
Church tabernacle
A tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry....
below, which contains the consecrated eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
ic bread. It is also claimed that an image of a rose (a symbol of Mary) appears at the bottom of the larger image.
Two years after the image appeared on the wall, the Adelaide Advertiser covered the story. Within a few days, the news media descended on the small seaside town and the first pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s began arriving from Australia and overseas. In December 1996, the Bishop of The Murray
Anglican Diocese of The Murray
The Anglican Diocese of The Murray is located in the south-eastern region of South Australia, taking in the Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland, Adelaide Hills, Murraylands and the southern suburbs of Adelaide. The cathedral church of the diocese is the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Murray Bridge. ...
blessed the church as "The Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla". A Canadian-born parish priest, Andrew Notere, was involved in developing the church as a pilgrimage centre and several documentaries were filmed. One, Visions of Yankalilla, has been screened on a number of national broadcast services worldwide. The shrine has become the centre of a healing ministry; it has been the venue of several claimed sightings of the Virgin, and several photos of the Madonna in the church.
A well for holy water
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...
is on the site, and a hybrid rose has been cultivated called "Our Lady of Yankalilla". The South Australia Tourism Commission has developed a marketing brochure for the shrine entitled "Mary Among the Eucalypts". The Australian artist Pro Hart
Pro Hart
Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart, MBE , born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, was considered the father of the Australian Outback painting movement and his works are widely admired for capturing the true spirit of the outback...
donated a painting to the shrine, and a large mural of the Virgin of Yankalilla has been mounted on an exterior wall of the retreat centre adjacent to the church.
External links
- Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla at the District Council of Yankalilla website.
- Shrine of Our Lady of Yankalilla at MyTravelGuide.com