Visit of US President Joe Biden to Knock Shrine is confirmed

It has been officially announced that President Joe Biden will make a personal visit to Knock Shrine as part of his four-day trip to Ireland.

The president is coming to Ireland to mark 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement.

Following his public engagements in Belfast, Dublin and Louth, the President will take time to visit his ancestral homes in Co. Louth and Mayo.

The president will visit Knock Shrine on Friday.

Arriving in the afternoon, he will be welcomed by Fr Richard Gibbons, PP and Rector of Knock Shrine and Mr. John Conroy, manager of Knock Shrine.

The president is making a personal visit to the Shrine, where he will have the opportunity to learn more about the unique and fascinating story of Knock while also taking some time for private prayer.

Speaking about the upcoming visit, Fr. Richard Gibbons, PP and Rector of Knock Shrine commented: “We are delighted to welcome President Joe Biden to Knock Shrine.

"This is a great honour and will be the first visit of a US President to the Shrine, a special and unique place on the island of Ireland.

"We have previously been honoured by two Papal visits, Saint John Paul II in 1979, Pope Francis in 2018, as well as Saint Mother Teresa in 1993.

"We are delighted to have been included as part of the President’s personal visits to Mayo.”