Walk with Mary throughout the Year

Day 268: February 4 Our Lady of Fire, Forl ì , Romagna, Italy The devotion to Our Lady of Fire ( Madonna del Fuoco )   began many years ago, in 1428, when the miracle that many Forlì people witnessed it happening. On the night between 4 and 5 February a fire broke out that destroyed a school, which was located in what is now Via Cobelli , where the church of the Miracle is located today. Lombardino da Riopetroso had been teaching in that school for a few weeks. Not much is known about this teacher: he had arrived in Forlì at the beginning of that year from his village of Valbona , between Bagno di Romagna and Santa Sofia and had taught his students not only to read and write but also to pray in front of the image of Our Lady that was in the school. It was a drawing, more precisely a woodcut, that is, a printed drawing depicting the Madonna surrounded by many saints. Those students are also remembered in the famous hymn to Our Lady of Fire composed in 1928 by two important priests...

Day 267: February 3 Madonetta of Genoa, Italy The church was built on a stretch of land above the religious house of St Nicholas, donated to the religious by the Senate of the Republic (1641). In that area there was an ancient chapel, dedicated to St James, which Fr Carlo Giacinto had restored in 1689, placing a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary with the Child in her arms, a gift from the noblewoman Isabella Moneglia , wife of Senator Paride Salvago . The Image, carved in finely decorated alabaster, is the work of Giovanni Romano (Trapani, XVII century); she was affectionately called the Madonnetta . She was crowned four times (14 August 1692,  14 August 1693, 25 December 1700 and 27 June 1920). Numerous faithful soon flocked to the modest chapel from the city and its surroundings, so the Founder decided to hasten the construction of the Sanctuary. Many years earlier (1674-75), he had a surprising vision in the inner chapel of the novitiate: "One day, according to the meditati...

Day 266: February 2 The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple and of the Purification of Our Lady – Candlemas In addition to commemorating the presentation of Christ in the Temple, this day has another meaning, because it is called Candlemas. The candle is one of the most used items in the Church; one blessed at a special Mass. We use candles at Baptism, Holy Mass, and other church services, in particular, at the ordination of a priest, the consecration of a bishop, at Easter, at Christmas to signify in various events the coming and presence of Christ in our midst. Blessed candles should be in every home, to be used in times of illness, death, storms and calamities. In the blessing of candles, the Church reminds us that candles signify light; they are blessed for the service of men, for the health of body and soul. Honor also for those who wish to carry them in their hands because it means carrying Christ, the true light and fire of charity. All of us are invited to bles...