Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles

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Location
  
Alcamo, Trapani, Italy

State
  
Italy

Province
  
Province of Trapani

Territory
  
Alcamo

Region
  
Sicily

Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Architectural style
  
Baroque-Renaissance style

Similar
  
Basilica of Our Lady of the Assu, Church of Saints Paul and Barth, Church of Jesus, Palazzo Sgadari, Castle of the Counts of Modica

The Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles is a church in Alcamo, province of Trapani, Sicily, southern Italy; it is dedicated to the Madonna of the Miracles (the patron saint of Alcamo).

Contents

History

The sanctuary was built in 1547 by order of the governor and captain of justice of Alcamo Fernando Vega and following the discovery of an icon of Madonna of Miracles in a small chapel which was abandoned. Afterwards the Sanctuary was modified several times, with a restoration in the first years of the 18th century.

Descriptions and works

You can reach the sanctuary through a downhill pebbled footpath which leads to a large flight of steps near the church. The sanctuary, in a Baroque-Renaissance style, has got two façades with two different portals. On the main façade, opposite the footpath, there is a jut window surrounded by two smaller ones.

The interior of the sanctuary has a single nave with 8 altars, there are also some stuccoes by Nicolò Curti made in 1762.

On the vault of the sanctuary there is a fresco representing the glorification of Our Lady of Miracles, while in the apse there is a second fresco with the apparition of Our Lady of Miracles to a group of women, and a third one with the founding of Our Lady of Miracles. These three works were realized in 1947 by Alessandro Abate, a painter from Catania.

These are the other works:

  • Next to the main entrance, on the left, there is the marble sarcophagus made by Rocco di Rapi in 1557 and containing the mortal remains of Don Fernando Vega.
  • First left altar: the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, a painting made in 1854 by Giuseppe Patania, a painter from Palermo.
  • In the chapel dedicated to Maria Santissima dei Miracoli, surrounded by a round red marble arc, you can admire the painting representing Our Lady of Miracles. On 21 June 1784 the Madonna's image was crowned.

    • The picture was painted a second time in 1890, following a fire, and restored in 1963 by the Sicilian painter Gianbecchina.

  • Third left altar: the Holy Family, a canvas made by Patania in 1847
  • High altar: Our Lady of Miracles with saint Rocco, saint Sebastian and saint Rosalia (co-patrons of the town of Alcamo) during the end of the plague in 1575, painted by Patania in 1828
  • First right altar: the Annunciation, painted by Patania in 1851
  • Second right altar: the Crucifixion, painted by Patania in 1847
  • Next to the main entrance, on the right: a white marble holy water stoup, probable work of the 17th century
  • On the right wall of the nave there is a beautiful marble medallion representing Judith by Gagini, coming from the church of the Annunciation.

    • Inside the sacristy there are:

  • the Founding of the image of Our Lady of Miracles, painting made by Sebastiano Bagolino
  • the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, made by Father Felice from Sambuca
  • the Immaculate, made by Father Felice from Sambuca too.

    • Rites and celebrations

    Traditionally, during the month of May (dedicated to Our Lady), believers go to the sanctuary through the footpath, saying their prayers during the descent. Every year, on 19th, 20th and 21st June, inside the Church there are the celebrations in honour of Madonna of Miracles: this is the most important religious feast in Alcamo.

    References

    Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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