OUR LADY OF SORROWS OF CAMPIVERI

Day 283: February 19

Our Lady of Sorrows of Campiveri (L'Addolorata dei Campiveri), Cividate al Piano, Bergamo, Italy



Cividate al Piano is located on the edge of the right escarpment of the Oglio, 22 km from Bergamo. The ancient village preserves the remains of a medieval castle that dates back to the thirteenth century, now reduced to an imposing ruin, which however testifies to the struggles that in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries also bloodied these localities.

The parish church is ancient in origin, but as it is today, it dates back to the eighteenth century. The approximately 5,000 inhabitants, at the last census, are dedicated to work in industry and agriculture.

In 1630, to commemorate the inhabitants of the town who died from the plague, a country oratory was built in Campiveri, where Our Lady of Sorrows is painted next to the Crucifix with Saints Rocco and Sebastian.

There is no trace of this chapel because it is incorporated into the new sanctuary built between 1893 and 1894. However, there remains a stone located on the left, on the ground in the porphyry of the churchyard, with a Latin inscription. The painting of Our Lady of Sorrows, then placed on the main altar of the Sanctuary, built following a miraculous event that occurred on February 19, 1862, was also saved.

A 7-year-old girl, Francesca Pagani, who went to the old newsstand in Campiveri to pray for her sick father and sister, saw two men dressed in black velvet in the entrance of the newsstand reading a book in front of the Crucifix. The little girl called their attention and they looked at her lovingly.

After reciting some prayers, she returned home and told her mother, who did not take her into consideration. The next day at three in the afternoon the little girl returned to pray and noticed that the sacred image was covered in sweat.

Amazed, she pointed out the matter to two passing men who, having ascertained the fact, exclaimed: "girl, it's a bad sign."

After a long time, the girl saw a woman, Maria Bertorelli-Cattaneo, passing by, and called her to ascertain the prodigy; she then convinced his mother to come to the Chapel to see Our Lady, the Crucifix and the Saints sweating. The fact repeated in the following days always from 3 pm and 5 pm and was disclosed in an inexplicable way. The parish priest of the village Don Piero Conti, the mayor Luigi Marchesi and the engineer Enea Rubini proceeded to examine the roof and walls of the aedicule to find if there was any explanation for the presence of that sweat "shiny as dew." The documents speak of prodigious healings regularly recorded and preserved in the archives.

On February 19, the feast is celebrated to commemorate the miraculous event that gave rise to the Sanctuary.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"We unite ourselves, O Mary, to the Saints, the Angels and especially to your Holy Parents, Joachim and Anne, to your Spouse, Saint Joseph, bowing to you and greeting you, on behalf of the Blessed Trinity, Full of Grace in the Mystery of your Purification and Jesus' Presentation in the Temple, through your hands."

(Justin Russolillo, Spirit of Prayer, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, Newark, 1996, p. 158)

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