The curious travels of Marian shrines
We are truly privileged to have so many and such evocative shrines to Our Lady in our country. The Reformation wrought havoc on Marian devotion, so that ancient statues such as Our Lady of Ipswich could end up at an Italian coastal resort (John Whitehead, Catholic Herald, June). May I add two more? One is now in Brussels, the other in north-west Spain. The very beautiful statue of Our Lady of Help “on the bridge of Dee” in Aberdeen is in the Church of Finistere in the Belgian capital, in its own chapel and well worth visiting. Traditionally her diocesan feast is on July 9. Mondoñedo Cathedral, just off the road to Santiago as you approach Galicia, houses the statue known locally as “La Inglesa”. Evidence suggests that this statue, reputed to have stood in St Paul’s Cathedral in London, was brought to that part of Spain by a recusant trader called Dutton (from the Wirral) at the end of Queen Mary’s reign. Knights of Our Lady in Spain and Britain are hoping to create a replica of La Inglesa for veneration here, possibly even in St Paul’s itself. Steve de la Bédoyère London SW17
