Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles

Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles
Santuario della Madonna dei Miracoli (Alcamo)

Façade of the sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles

Façade of the sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles
Basic information
Location Alcamo, Trapani, Italy
Geographic coordinates 37°59′05″N 12°58′00″E / 37.984770°N 12.966656°E / 37.984770; 12.966656Coordinates: 37°59′05″N 12°58′00″E / 37.984770°N 12.966656°E / 37.984770; 12.966656
Region Sicily
State Italy
Province Trapani
Territory Alcamo
Architectural style Baroque-Renaissance style

The Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles is a church in Alcamo (in the province of Trapani) dedicated to the Madonna of the Miracles (the patron saint of Alcamo).

Historical hints

The sanctuary was built in 1547 by order of the governor and captain of justice of Alcamo Don Fernando Vega[1] and following the discovery of an icon of Madonna of Miracles in a small chapel which was abandoned.[2] Afterwards the Sanctuary was modified several times,[3] with a restoration in the first years of the 18th century.[2]

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,[4] has got two façades with two different portals.[4] On the main façade, opposite the footpath, there is a jut window surrounded by two smaller ones.[4]

The interior of the sanctuary has a single nave.[2]

Inside a left chapel, surrounded by a round red marble arc,[4] you can admire the painting representing Madonna of Miracles.[5] On 21 June 1784 the Madonna's image was crowned.[3] The picture was painted a second time in1890, following a fire, and restored in 1963 by the Sicilian painter Gianbecchina.[5]

In the sanctuary there are also some stuccoes by Nicolò Curti,[2] a fresco representing the glorification of Madonna of Miracles[4] and a few paintings on canvas made by Giuseppe Patania dating back to the 19th century.[2] One of this is placed on the main altar (1828) and represents Madonna of Miracles with the Saints Rocco, Sebastiano and Rosalia (compatron saints of Alcamo) at the end of the pestilence in 1575.

Next to the main entrance there is also the marble sarcophagus made by Rocco di Rapi in 1557[3][6] and containing the mortal remains of Don Fernando Vega.

Rites and celebrations

The civil authorities's descent to the sanctuary during the celebrations in honour of Madonna of Miracles.

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, from 19 June until 21, inside the Church there are the celebrations in honour of Madonna of Miracles: this is the most important religious feast in Alcamo.[7]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santuario della Madonna dei Miracoli (Alcamo).

Notes

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, January 22, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.