OUR LADY OF PRINCIPIO

Day 241: January 08

Our Lady of Principio, Adelfia, Bari, Italy



Adelfia is located close to the first slopes of the central murge, about 13 km from the capital. The municipalities of Montrone and Canneto, not far from each other, maintained their administrative autonomy until 29 September 1927, when decree no. 1903 signed by Vittorio Emanuele III sanctioned their union under the name of Adelfia from the Greek "Adelphos" which means brothers. Despite the proximity of the two centers, there were marked with differences in the populations – for example in terms of traditions and dialect – which for some decades translated into a strong parochialism that made it difficult to create a unified city identity.

The Chapel of Santa Maria del Principio is located right in the village of Adelfia-Montrone near the mother church dedicated to St Nicholas, the oldest and most important place of worship in the community of Montrone. The entry into use of the dedication would be attributed to a Greek monk, a relative of Roni Sensech, founder of the ancient Monte-Roni in 982, who settled in some caves of the place. In one of these caves, the monk would have painted a fresco of a Nativity, dedicating it to Santa Maria del Principio practically under the current square of the chapel.

The painting, dating back to the sixteenth century, depicts the Virgin praying on her knees, the Baby Jesus lying on the ground, St Joseph, the ox and the donkey. The current chapel was built in 1086 and enlarged around 1521 by Baron Giambattista Galeoti who had two side altars added and had the painting transported from the caves. Since then, the feast of Our Lady has been celebrated on the first Sunday of September each year. The devotion, however, was consolidated only towards the sixteenth century.

According to a memoir by the Dominican Vincenzo Furietti, of the princes of Valenzano and lords of Montrone, written on September 23, 1668, the Our Lady of Principio showed its particular protection with a miracle in 1656, the year in which the plague devastated our land. On the morning of August 16 of that year, the Virgin appeared tearful to the faithful who were not able to realize what was happening at the time. But in the evening a serious fire was about to destroy the cereals piled up on the farmyard, when a sudden downpour from the sky extinguished the flames. The population then understood the reason for Our Lady's sadness and ran to the chapel to thank her. Since then, the faithful from neighboring villages came in large numbers to venerate the miraculous Lady.

Unfortunately, devotion to this image has waned and it is a real shame. The painting of Our Lady of Principio had to be retouched by an inexperienced hand; even the entire frame and the upper part of the high altar of heavy Baroque style have recently been lightened.

The image of Our Lady of the Beginning was solemnly crowned on January 8, 1891.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"You are Queen by merit, by supremacy of perfection. You are the Queen-Daughter, the Queen Mother, the Queen Spouse of the King-God!"

(Justin Russolillo, Spirit of Prayer, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, Newark, 1996, p. 153)

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