OUR LADY OF PISA

Day 179: November 07

Our Lady of Pisa, (Our Lady under the Organs), Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

In the broader context of the history of popular manifestations of Marian devotions and piety, for the Diocese of Pisa, in addition to the Sanctuary of Montenero which represents a more general point of convergence with the other Tuscan Dioceses, there is the Madonna di Sotto gli Organi kept in a special altar of the Cathedral of Pisa and which constitutes the extraordinary point of reference for our entire Diocese. This venerated wooden effigy represents one of the most important aspects of Pisan religious worship. The inscription "Pròtege Virgo Pisas" (Protect Pisa O Virgin) is present on Pisan coins, florin or gold sequin, under Frederick II. The news about the diocesan devotion to this Sacred Image, usually hidden from the eyes of the faithful, dates back to many centuries ago.

She has retained the name "Madonna di Sotto gli Organi" but in the past she had also been called with other titles now forgotten: "Our Lady of Grace" which indicated the abundance of heavenly favors that she poured out on her devotees, "the Incognita" or the jealousy with which for long periods of time she was precluded from the human gaze, "the Madonna of the Seven Columns" indicated the place where it was located.

Its provenance and its history are shrouded in mystery: the Pisan chroniclers of the periods immediately following those of the arrival in Pisa of the Table of the Madonna, or during the twelfth century, are silent about its origins even if, since their time, this Image was already the object of universal sympathy of the Pisans, at least most of them. We have to go back to 1600 to have information on the subject. According to Bartolomeo Beverini (1629-1686) and a Pisan chronicler, Iacopo Arrosti, who wrote in 1654, the coming of the Image of the Virgin is linked to one of the many episodes between Pisa and Lucca. The Pisan family of the Caetani, owners of seven strong castles in Versilia, were furious against the Pisan family of the Caetani to take possession of it. In the capture of one of these, from the town of Lombrici in 1255, some soldiers of Pisa allied with the Caetani, having lost all hope of resistance, gave themselves a hasty escape one night and, to save a venerated effigy of the Madonna from the fire that burned on all sides, they left carrying it and, arriving in Pisa, placed it in the Cathedral. The sacred image, however, only increased the cult of the Pisans to the Virgin which had perhaps originated from the maritime relations of Pisa with the East where, as is known, the cult of Mary had always been fervent. Now the Pisan people had a point of reference where they could concentrate and turn their piety for the Heavenly Mother. And from this moment on, the Madonna became the great Patroness, the Sovereign Protector and the most important places in the city were adorned with her image.

Pisa established that from one of the great solemnities of the Virgin, the feast of the Annunciation, the Pisan civil year should begin. And on August 15th, representatives of all the localities of the Pisan dominion converged on the city to bring the symbolic candle which, in addition to indicating subjection to the city municipality and offered to the Virgin, indicated subjection to the common Mother. Furthermore, in this festival from the rites of donations, from the palios of land and sea, there are rich and spectacular processions with the competition of scenographic practices in which the greatest artists of the various eras participated. With the "Pròtege Virgo Pisas", the Pisan people wanted to put themselves under the protection of the great mantle of the Virgin, forever.

However, years, generations, passed without the human eye seeing the venerated effigy of the Madonna, almost losing track of what it was: significant in this regard is that in the report of a chancellor of the Municipality of Pisa in 1577 this effigy is mentioned three times in an imago Assumptionis. But even if secluded and segregated, her veneration grew over the centuries in the religious soul of Pisa. On great solemnities, in moments of grave public sorrow, when all human help fails, the Pisans knew they had to have recourse to her, who often gave the graces requested and in any case always great comfort, resignation and courage. Even on occasions of great public joy, the people come to her effigy in thanksgiving to the Patron Saint. This is what happened in 1494 when Pisa seemed providentially to obtain that freedom and independence for which it had fought so hard.

The thaumaturgical power of this Image began to become so strong that, on January 10, 1497, the Madonna was solemnly consecrated in the Cathedral of Pisa. It is from this moment that the unveiling of the sacred Image will be deliberated precisely according to local needs, to implore or to give thanks in the face of dangers and disasters of all kinds (earthquakes, floods, pestilences, famines, etc.) entrusting to the Virgin, before science or human means, the possibility of returning to a serene and peaceful coexistence.

The motivations through the centuries and up to the present day, which have determined the great discoveries, will serve to confirm the great devotion and trust of the Pisan people to the Virgin. Between serious dangers of time and pestilence for the people, to invoke the healing of the sick, to celebrate the victory of wars, for liberation from foreign occupations, to celebrate the anniversaries of the cities and the people, important anniversaries in the church, etc.

In our day, with a Chapter meeting on June 9, 1986, the Chapter decided that the image of Our Lady of Under the Organs should always remain uncovered. A sign that the city of Pisa is equally devoted to the Virgin protectress.

St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Glory to the Most Blessed Trinity in you, O Mary! Glory to you, O Mary, in the Blessed Trinity, for your fullness of grace, your mediation of all grace, your dispensation of all grace, for your union with God the Father, your imitation of God the Father, for your union with God the Son, your imitation of God the Son, for your union with God the Holy Spirit, you imitation of God the Holy Spirit, for your divine image."

(Ascension, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, New Jersey, 1997, p. 391)