Livre d'Or

I can't understand how a devout Christian would hear of it, and think, oh, what miraculous proof of God's presence in the world, I must immediately make a pilgrimage to that random little town in a backwater swamp in northern Europe so I can stand on the spot where this amazing event occurred!

This made me laugh!

"Stille Omgang" means "Silent Procession" which is just what it is - a few thousand people come to Amsterdam, attend Mass at around midnight (in different churches around the city) and then process around the city centre in silence, circling the house (or the site at least - it's now in the middle of the shopping district) three times. I took part earlier this year for the first time.

The miracle is not, indeed, in the "general" style of miracle stories. When I first heard it I certainly had some of the reaction you mentioned above. It strikes me, though, as being very "Dutch" - down to earth and no nonsense - which I find rather (insert suitable word in here). It's good to know that not all the miracles that have taken place (and that we know of) are the sugary-sweet healings or the like. Whilst not wanting to take anything away from those, I can see why this occurrence would be more "convincing" to a stereotypically Dutch mindset, due not least in part to the rather no-holds-barred way in which the story is told.