The Pilgrimage – Site of Kevelaer

Every year 1,000,000 people visit this place of pilgrimage. They come from all over Europe; in particular from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Lying on the border between the Netherlands and Germany, Kevelaer has been from the beginning an international place of pilgrimage, For more than 350 years, then, a lively inter-communication has take place between different peoples.

Coming to Kevelaer and having the best stay:

• Compare prices between Hotels in Kevelaer for all pockets or view hotel deals at the bottom of the page that we have for you.
• Find cheap flights to Kevelaer. The airport of Weeze. Because you don’t want to overpay for your flight! 🙂
• Here is a selection of books and guides for the shrine of Kevelaer. Most of them in German.
• And something else for you: selection of Children’s Bible Stories, Bibles, Catholic books – Best Sellers, Rosaries, Catholic Statues, Gold necklaces and crosses.

Guides and tours in Duisburg:

The Picture of Our Lady at the Wayside

It was around Christmas 1641 that the simple merchant Hendrick Busman three times heard the mysterious call: “At this place you will build me a chapel!” Each time he had been on his way from Weeze to Geldern and had stopped to pray at a wayside cross close to Kevelaer.

Hendrick Busman was poor but nevertheless he answered the call. The engraving was installed in the shrine in 1642. The minutes of the Synod of Venlo cast more light on the matter:

“I am married to Mechel Schrouse who is aged about 50. I have earned my living by means of a small business which has obliged me to travel hither and thither. Hence I was on the road from Weeze and near a place known as Kevelaer at Christmastide in the year of Our Lord 1641.

At this point stands a wayside cross. There I heard a voice which said to me: ‘On this spot shalt thou build me a chapel.’ At this I was greatly astonished. I looked all around, but saw no-one.

I continued on my way and, on this first occasion, put all thoughts of the voice from me. Seven or eight days later, I travelled the same road and at the self-same spot I heard the afore-mentioned voice loud and clear coming from the direction of the wayside cross.

This caused me great sorrow considering my humble circumstances and meagre resources. None the less, I had been charged with the commission and determined to put aside each day a portion of my scant income in order to build the shrine.

Subsequently, one month before Whitsuntide, there came to my aforementioned spouse a vision in blinding light of a shrine containing a picture like the one she had noticed in the hands of two soldiers some time previously.

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These soldiers had been carrying two paper pictures of Our Lady of Luxembourg and they had tried to sell them to Mechel. However, nothing came of it as the price was too high.

On this account I gave more credence to the matter and sent my wife off to find the soldiers and enquire about the little picture. They had passed on the pictures to their lieutenant who was under arrest in Kempen. The lieutenant was released and Mechel solicited one of the pictures from him…”

The inscription under the picture reads:

Vera Effigies Matris IESU Consolatricis afflictorum in agro suburbano Luxemburgi Miraculis et Hominum Visitatione celebris. Anno 1640.

True effigy of the Mother of Christ, Comforter of the Afflicted, in a field before the city of Luxembourg, celebrated by miracles and the visit of men. A.D. 1640.

Two hovering angels set above the picture hold the crown of honour. On a scroll under the top edge of the picture the title of honour of the Madonna.

The Kevelaer Basilica

Designated a papal basilica in 1927, the church was built initially to receive pilgrims and is intended through its dedication to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a constant reminder of the goal of man’s earthly journey.

The paintings of Friedrich Stummel embody the ideas of the ‚biblia pauperum‘ (poor man’s bible). That is to say, he who rests a while in the basilica and allows his eyes to glide over the paintings can follow the story of the Passion, excerpts from the history of the Church and aspects of Christian life as defined in the sacraments, the scriptures and the liturgy.

See more German catholic shrines and pilgrimages.

See Top 15 Catholic shrines around the world.

See more European catholic shrines and pilgrimages.

The colouring of the extensive ornamentation was greatly influenced by the Church of Sainte Chapelle in Paris. The nave and transepts were erected in 1864 to the plans of Vincenz Statz, the master cathedral-builder from Cologne.

The spire, almost 300 feet high was added twenty years later. The pilgrims‘ services are held in the Basilica. Here in communion with the Blessed Virgin the devout can relive in prayer the Gospel story.

Pause awhile to take in the atmosphere and you will discover that what is enacted below in the ceremonial of the liturgy is reflected above in the arches and the apse. The faithful in the community of the saints, living and dead, are gathered together in the praise of the Lamb of God.

The retable in the apse depicts the seven sorrows of the Virgin. In the centre is the Pieta and above this, in the gothic vaulting, the Assumption is represented. Not all hope is lost; Good Friday is not the end of Mary’s existence. Just as God fulfilled his purpose in the life of Mary, she too attains her goal in the splendour of the Trinity.

Kevelaer is situated amidst of the European business centres in a pleasant distance and close to the Ruhr-area with the cities Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen or Gelsenkirchen.

In just a few kilometres distance there is the German-Dutch border with the agglomeration Nijmwegen and Venlo. Duesseldorf and Cologne, metropolises upon the Rhine, are not far away from Kevelaer either

How to get there:

Visiting Kevelaer by car
The city of Kevelaer is next to federal main-road 9. You can also reach Kevelaer via motorway-exit Sonsbeck (Kevelaer) (exit 5) of A 57.

Travelling by Train
Kevelaer station is situated on the left side of the river Rhine-line. During weekdays every half an hour and at weekends every hour the Niers-Express(RE 10) from Kleve via Krefeld to Duesselsorf stops there.

Train Schedules are available at the Deutsche Bahn.

The Airport of Weeze
Coming from the airport of Weeze you will reach our town after about a 7 km long signposted tour along the ain-road or by airport-shuttle. Further airport-shuttle-information are available.

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