Marian shrines and cathedrals dedicated to the virgin are many in the world. Among the most famous ones, probably, the St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, the Our Lady of Loreto Cathedral, the Virgin of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, Guadalupe and many others. However, there are some truly special shrines that not everyone knows about. Would you like to know more? Read the following paragraphs.
1. The Sanctuary of Tindari - Sicily
If you've been to northeastern Sicily, you've probably come across the sanctuary of Tindari, in the Sicilian province of Messina. It is a very graceful little sanctuary, located on top of a hill that falls sheer to the sea. This wonderful and very special sanctuary is dedicated to one of the many Black Madonnas, such as that of Loreto.
The wooden Black Madonna of Tindari statue
Source: https://cutt.ly/N4ucgkn
Like most of the famous “Black Madonna” statues, even the Tindari statue is carved out of wood which was originally light-colored. Wood darkens over time so, eventually, she became black. However, this transformation from light-skinned to dark-skinned meant that this statue was something rare, precious and the result of a miracle. For this reason, many pilgrims used to visit this Marian shrine from far and wide. In 1995, among them, there was even Pope John Paul II.
The Sanctuary of Tindari from above, Sicily
Source: https://cutt.ly/B4ucIhJ
As you can see in the image that depicts the sanctuary seen from the sky, below the promontory on which it stands there is a very large tongue of land and numerous lakes, called "Laghetti di Marinello". According to legend, these lakes were formed by the will of the Virgin of Tindari who, to save a little girl from drowning, made the sea withdraw, thus creating these small lakes.
2. Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love - Rome
The Marian Sanctuary of Divine Love is located a few miles away from the center of Rome. It is a Marian shrine dedicated to Divine Love, the one that flows between the Blessed Virgin Mary and her divine and creator husband, the Holy Spirit.
It means that, as for the Blessed Virgin, so also for us we cannot act correctly without the guide and the divine love of the Holy Spirit. Without His help, we cannot become builders of a new Christian society, since it is the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus has merited for us, who supports the task of the Christian community. Thanks to the Divine Love between the Virgin and the Holy Spirit, Mary became the Mother of God and Jesus was born to save us from damnation.
The story of the Sanctuary of the Divine Love is deeply linked to some extraordinary miracles and graces that happened in the last 300 years, that usually faithful homage with some Ex Votos, stored in the sanctuary’s Ex Voto room. The most famous miracles were, of course, these:
- In 1740, Divine Love saved the life of a pilgrim (the first one);
- In 1944, Divine Love spared the capital from destruction during the world war.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love, Rome
Source: https://bit.ly/3LtkaRn
If you too want to celebrate the power of the Divine Love and the Holy Spirit, here is this beautiful Holy Spirit Chaplet for your daily prayers.
3. Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary - Pompeii
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary is one of the most important in the Campania region of Italy and one of the most visited in the whole country, with millions of pilgrims who go there every year from all over the world. A particular devotional practice takes place in honor of the painting of the Holy Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii: on May 8 of each year, a special supplication takes place that the faithful make to the Madonna of the Rosary, represented in the statue down here.
It is precisely in Pompeii, in southern Italy, that the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary stands, particularly dear to St. Padre Pio. In fact, the Apulian saint made several pilgrimages to this Campanian sanctuary where the famous miracle of the rose also took place. In fact, it is known that, finding himself at the end of his life, the Saint asked one of his devotees to bring a red rose he had received as a gift in front of the painting of the Virgin kept here. That same rose continued to remain fresh and even closed in a fragrant bud, even after the saint's death.
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Why is May the month of Mary?→
Basic facts about the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary→
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