OUR LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN

Day 156: October 15

Our Lady of the Fountain, Casalmaggiore, Cremona, Italy



The Sanctuary, a center of spirituality and Marian devotion among the many in Lombardy, has obscure origins that are lost in time.

We know with sufficient certainty that the construction of the current Sanctuary, in its beautiful and dignified form, dates back to 1463. But even before that, there was at least one chapel or small oratory on the site, in which an image of the Blessed Virgin, called the "Bagni" (oratory of the Baths), was venerated.

This name, curious to say the least, is due to the existence, nearby, of sources of healthy spring water. Before the year 1000 (the oldest document is from 879), next to a fountain or well, which served as a thirst quencher for wayfarers, a small chapel dedicated to the Madonna was built, for which the fountain was called "Pozzo di Santa Maria."

In 1320, according to tradition, the miracle of a poor man born blind occurred. He regained his sight by bathing in the "Madonna's water." In 1463, another sensational miracle occurred: a seriously ill man was healed after immersing himself in the water of the fountain. The construction of the current Sanctuary was thus decided. A first sanctuary was built on the site, replacing the small chapel, later expanded and completed in 1463.

1629-1630 was a year of mourning and pain for the city of Casalmaggiore. A plague had struck the citizens and claimed victims daily. The health measures adopted by the Decurions—isolating those affected by the disease, avoiding gatherings to avoid spreading the infection, burning the clothes and belongings of plague victims and celebrating Holy Mass in the squares to avoid contact with potential victims—had reduced the mortality rate, but had not eradicated it. Only a third of the population died, while the mortality rate in the countryside was much higher.

Contemporary historian Ettore Lodi attributes this to the healing waters of the Fountain and adds: "But not content with this, the Blessed Virgin, accumulating graces, once again revealed her miraculous image. While confessing in the Church of the Fountain, she healed many people with that healing water. Its fame increased devotion and attendance, so much so that once the passages were reopened, entire peoples flocked there from every direction, singing her praises in procession, making generous offerings and fulfilling their vows with the greatest edification.

Nor was this pious devotion confined to the common people; equally edifying, distinguished figures, counts and marquises also flocked there, all carrying vessels of that miraculous water with them. So much so that every day one could see carts and donkeys from distant lands, sent to fetch those blessed waters, in great numbers."

Even today, many devotees come to pray to the Madonna, bathing their eyes and faces and drinking the miraculous water that has wrought so many healings.

In memory of the narrow escape from the plague, the ancients placed a plaque that now stands in the corridor of the Chancellery: ITEM FONS PESTILENTIAE MEDETUR ANNO MDCXXX SAEVIT ATROX ITERUM PESTIS SED FUNERIS AMPLI EXTINX1T SUBITO VIRGINIS UNDA FACES QUAMVIS FONS MODICUS MORTEM TAMEN OBRUIT ILLI FECIT IN EXIGUO GURGITE NAUFRAGIUM IOH. SIGISMUNDUS ARALDUS GRATIA


PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN.

Virgin Mary,

who since ancient times,

in this place of solitude and peace,

have shown yourself an inexhaustible source of graces

to your devoted children by converting sinners,

consoling the afflicted, averting plagues and hurricanes,

and healing the sick with the water that flows from the feet of this image of yours;

show mercy to me again by freeing me from the spiritual
and physical worries that torment me,

and by granting me the grace I so desperately need.

Mary, Source of graces,

pray for me.

Amen.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"All graces begin with inspirations and develop in relation to our cooperation and so we should ask for these before everything else, await them from Mary, receive them from Mary and through them honor her as Queen and Mother of Divine Inspirations."

(Ascension, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, New Jersey, 1997, pp. 374-375)

Comments

Post a Comment

Hot Picks

OUR LADY OF MELIAPORE

Image
Day 47: June 26 This is the shrine in the East Indies, where Saint Francis Xavier often retired to pray during his eleven years with the people of India. The Blessed Virgin Mary was Francis’ constant source of strength and inspiration. The image before which Saint Francis used to pray is called Mylai Matha in Tamil, or Our Lady of Mylapore in English. It is an ancient statue about three feet tall, Our Lady of Meliapore can still be venerated at the church. The church of Saint Thomas of Mylapore – spelled somewhat differently from the above – contains Mary’s shrine. According to tradition, the Apostle Saint Thomas came to India in 52 AD. Due to his success making converts to the True Faith, he was persecuted and finally martyred in the year 72 AD. Saint Thomas is buried at the shrine of Our Lady of Meliapore, and there are relics of Saint Francis Xavier. There was a church known to be in Mylapore going back to the 1st century, and built by St Thomas. According to tradition, there was a ...
Read more

Marian Year 2025-26

Image
  MARIAN YEAR The year 2026 marks the first centenary of the apparition of Our Lady to St Justin Russolillo, the Founder of the Vocationists. As the feast of Our Lady of Divine Vocations falls on May 11, the year preceding to that year (May 11 2025 – May 11 2026) has been declared to be celebrated as Marian Year by the Vocationists. The reason behind this year-long celebration is, as Pope Pius XII decreed prior to the Marian Year in 1953 on the occasion of the first centenary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother, “that the faith of the people may be increased and their devotion to the Virgin Mother of God become daily more inflamed.” As Rev. Fr. Louis Caputo SDV rightly points out, “the life of Fr. Justin here on earth began with the…apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary…, it developed in the shadow of Mary and ended in union with Mary.” The birth of Justin was preceded by an announcement by the Blessed Virgin Mary to Fr. Sa...
Read more

OUR LADY OF DIVINE VOCATIONS

Image
The Devotion to Our Lady of Divine Vocations The devotion to Our Lady of Divine Vocations has its foundation on the Marian Apparition that St Justin Russolillo had on May 10, 1926. He was praying breviary near a hut made of straws called pagliarella. St. Justin describes it in his diary (Book of the Soul) "May 10, 1926, first day of the Rogations. It was given to me the certainty that the Blessed Trinity has given the Blessed Lady the Office of the Immediate Superior of the Society of Divine Vocations and therefore of all the offices, mansions, studies, works, spheres and everything. She is the authority of the Society. Glory and thanks to God and Mary. Therefore, the established practice of having one person always present and on guard in the room dedicated to Our Lady to honor and venerate her perpetually." After the Marian Apparition, St Justin rushed to the rectory of St George's parish in Pianura where he used to be the parish priest. He asked Fr Luigi Diodato to pre...
Read more