BLESSED VIRGIN OF THE COMUNA

Day 195: November 23

Feast of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin of the Comuna,
Ostiglia, Mantua, Lombardy, Italy



According to tradition, a girl mute from birth, while watching over the flock in the pasture, suddenly saw on a willow, amidst great splendor, a Lady who called her to go to her, revealed her name as Mother of God and manifested her desire by saying: "I am Our Lady. Tell those of Ostiglia to build a small church here in my honor: many people will come and I will give many graces".

The innocent girl, struck by great amazement and immense joy, suddenly regained the use of speech and became the bearer of the will of the Madonna among the inhabitants of Ostiglia. Everyone knew the goodness and sincerity of the girl, until then deprived of speech, they considered her cure as truly miraculous and believed in her message.

To satisfy the desire of the Madonna, they built a small chapel called "del Casone", probably because nearby there was a shed built of logs and covered with straw, in which the peasants, in summer, used to keep wood and hay, and in winter the shepherds spent the night there with their flock.

All that remains of this chapel are a few wall remnants and a faded fifteenth-century fresco depicting the Madonna and Child, between the figures of St Anthony the Abbot and St Lucy, jealously guarded on the external wall of the current Sanctuary, as a testimony to history.

Soon the concourse of the faithful intensified, the miracles multiplied, but with time and the adversity of events, the chapel fell into ruins. Then the municipal authorities, with the authorization of the Bishop of Verona, on whom Ostiglia depended at that time, took the initiative to rebuild the church.

Since then, Our Lady has been called of the Comuna, that is, of the Community, of the Municipality.

In 1533 the municipal leaders turned to the munificence of Federico II Gonzaga, fifth marquis and first duke of Mantua, who also intervened in gratitude to the Madonna for the birth of his eldest son Francesco, son of Margherita Paleologa, marquise of Monferrato. As the inscription on the marble jamb of the door still recalls, the construction of the new Sanctuary was entrusted to the famous architect Giulio Romano.

Over the centuries, painful events affected the populations of the area, but the help and protection of Our Lady of Comuna never failed.

Memorable, in September 1618, was the frightening flooding of the Po! The muddy and impetuous waters overwhelmed the banks of the river and submerged everything. The inhabitants of Ostiglia turned confidently to Our Lady of Comuna and their lives were saved.

In 1796 the French soldiers invaded Italy and did not spare the populations of Mantua. Churches were desecrated and stripped of their art treasures; even the Sanctuary of the Comuna was plundered of the many signs of devotion and gratitude of the faithful to the Madonna. But the trust in Mary of the population of Ostiglia did not fail.

Following numerous graces obtained, on November 23, 1920, Our Lady of Comuna was honored with the solemn rite of the Golden Crown, as a sign of gratitude.

The grandiose celebrations for the Coronation were attended by the Patriarch of Venice, the Bishop of Adria, former parish priest of Ostiglia, the Bishop of Rovigo, Mantua and a huge crowd. For the occasion, the Holy Father Benedict XV granted numerous indulgences and sent his personal blessing through the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Gasparri.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Glory to the Most Holy Trinity in you, O Mary! Glory to you, O Mary, in the Blessed Trinity! Queen of holy monks, Queen of holy Brothers, Queen of holy Clerics Regular, Queen of holy hospital workers, Queen of holy knights, Queen of holy missionaries, Queen of contemplatives, Queen of the active and mixed life."

(Ascension, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Father, New Jersey, 1997, pp. 406-407)

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