‘Magnificent mosaic’ unveiled at Knock basilica

IMPOSING One of the biggest mosaics of its kind in Europe was unveiled after 12 noon Mass on Sunday at the Our Lady’s Basillica at Knock Shrine. The artwork measures 14x14 metres and came in more than 300 sections. Pic: Michael McLaughlin

Áine Ryan

AT 14 square metres the giant mosaic unveiled at the Basilica of Our Lady of Knock on Sunday, depicting the famous 1879 apparition, is understood to be among the largest of its kind in Europe. Its 1.8 million pieces, depicting the famous 1879 apparition, were inlaid on the wall behind the altar of the recently refurbished church.
Designed by Irish artist and illustrator PJ Lynch, the mosaic was constructed and installed by Travisanutto Mosaics in Spilimbergo, near Venice, Italy. It was transported by articulated truck across Europe to Knock during mid-January after which a team of five experts from Travisanutto began the painstaking installation task.   
The installation of the mosaic was the final stage of a major 18-month refurbishment project and part of a renewal process, entitled ‘Witness to Hope’, launched in by parish priest Fr Richard Gibbons, the Parish Priest in 2014.
Interestingly, the Travisanutto team has worked on projects at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem and the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington DC, which is the largest Catholic church in the US. They claim it is among the  biggest of its kind in Europe, as it runs over a continuous flat surface and not around a curved structure such as a dome.

Awe-inspiring
Speaking at the unveiling on Sunday, Archbishop Michael Neary welcomed  the congregation – on his behalf and the concelebrating priests – to the unveiling of ‘this beautiful and awe-inspiring mosaic of the Apparition’.  
“In so many ways we might situate ourselves in the minds of the 15 people who gazed in wonder at the Apparition on August 21, 1879. Today our eyes are lifted towards this magnificent mosaic as we are drawn into what it depicts – Jesus the Lamb of Sacrifice, the cross by which He redeemed us, the altar of the Eucharist where he makes himself present, his mother whom he has given to us on Calvary, St Joseph and St John the Evangelist and the choirs of angels,” Archbishop Neary said.  
“I am told that there are 1.8 million pieces in this mosaic. It is difficult to find a language which would capture the beauty and magnificence of what we behold and yet isn’t it just a shadow of the reality which those 15 people looked upon on that August evening at the gable end a few yards away,” he continued.

Apparition
THE Archbishop observed that the first reading for the Mass revealed ‘a caring and compassionate God who came to the rescue of a suffering people in Egyptian slavery to bring them into the Promised Land’.
“As you are aware at the time of the Apparition, Ireland, and particularly the West of Ireland, had been through the devastation of the famine. People were demoralised; death and destruction was all around and perhaps a general sense of hopelessness. And yet the people recognised the importance of the Eucharist, Mass, faith and something which was very much in keeping with Irish spirituality.”
He said the ‘magnificent mosaic which conveys in such breath-taking beauty the mystery of the Apparition’ would not have been possible without ‘the exceptional goodwill and extraordinary generosity of the benefactor, Mr Joe O’ Toole of Tuam’.
“All pilgrims as so appreciative of the way in which this basilica has been beautified and absolutely transformed in the past 18 months. So many people at home and abroad have generously contributed and made it possible,” Dr Neary continued.
Praising Fr Gibbons, he said he had ‘planned and executed all of this in its various stages’.
“We are deeply indebted to him for the way in which he has taken such care of the project. In all of this he had the powerful support of Fr Patrick Burke and the various committees at Knock Shrine led by David McConn,” he added.

Did you know?
Mosaics have been used to decorate church walls since the 4th century AD. Two of the earliest examples are in churches in Rome.