-- Nijmegen

-- Kleve

-- Kalkar

-- Xanten

-- Kranenburg

-- Kevelaer

-- -- Hotels

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-- Copyright © Don Douglas
-- http://www.dondouglas.com

In 1641 — with the Holy Roman Empire crumbling, the Thirty Years War raging, plague and famine devastating all of Europe — Hendrik Busman was going about his usual rounds. As the itinerant salesman passed a wayside cross in what is now Kevelaer — then in Holland, now in Germany — he heard a voice saying, “At this place shalt thou build me a chapel.” Seeing no one, he went on his way, perhaps a little confused. A week later he is said to have heard the voice again, and this time was sure it was coming from the cross. Although having no money, he saved what little he could toward building a chapel. A vision which appeared to his wife resulted in buying a print known as “Our Lady of Luxemburg” for the chapel, although they couldn’t afford that, either. From there it snowballed, the chapel was built and has been the destination of pilgrims ever since. From May to October a visit to Kevelaer will be shared with crowds of pilgrims, sometimes arriving on foot or bicycle, another group coming on motorcycles.