3869 - Borken, Hesse, Germany

A nice Postcrossing Meetup card from Kevelaer - their second meet up in May 2024. Looks like about 15-16 people were there, based on the number of signatures and stamps found on the back. Kevelaer is in western Germany, very near the border of Netherlands. 

Kevelaer is the largest Catholic pilgrimage location in north-west Europe. One million Marian devotees from Germany and the Netherlands, visit the Basilica of Kevelaer every year to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to tradition, a merchant named Hendrik Busman, days before Christmas 1641, heard a voice say three times "Here thou shall build me a chapel." He began to set money aside but didn't want his wife to find out. She had her own vision near Pentecost in which she saw a little chapel containing a print of Our Lad
y of Consolation, all bathed in light. Two passing soldiers confirmed the story who saw the house light up at night. Two other soldiers tried to sell her two copperplate engravings with the sme image on it, but she didn't buy them as they were too expensive. As Hendrik began building the chapel, his wife, Mechel, tried to find and buy the print. 

The chapel was consecrated on 1 June 1642, the Sunday after Assumption of Mary. The print was displayed in it. It became a popular destination for pilgrims. The little chapel was then replaced in 1654 with a larger church in order to handle the pilgrims. The larger church, Gnadenkapelle, still houses the print. Pope John Paul II visited the basilica in 1987.