OUR LADY OF THE CHESTNUT

Day 350: April 28

Our Lady of the Chestnut, Bergamo, Italy



The only account of the Apparition to which the historians of the Sanctuary drew until recently is the one that the notary Gerolamo Ceres Oli transcribed and, transcribing, summarized from an ancient "writing" about 1646, at the time of the dispute between Ossanesga and Fontana. Another recent document attesting to this apparition comes from a letter addressed to King Lodovico, a document dating back to April 1511.

Tradition summarizes the account of the apparition as follows: In the chestnut wood where the Sanctuary stands today, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to two men, probably father and son, intent on picking the leaf. Our Lady asked the two visionaries to tell all the population of the nearby villages about the exceptional event and to report that the Most Holy Mother of God expressly asked that a church be built in that isolated place in her honor. To give strength to her message and to dispel any doubt of the actual presence of Our Lady, suddenly, on a large chestnut tree, the fruits became ripe and it was this miraculous event that gave the name to the current sanctuary. It was April 28, 1510.

The wood, on the outskirts of Bergamo, was owned by the priest Giovannino Moroni, who happy for such an honor, gathered the leaders of Breno, Ossanego, Fontana and donated his farm to build a church in honor of Our Lady. Having obtained the full approval of the diocesan bishop, work began immediately with the construction of an altar and, later, also of the church.

This, according to notarial documents, is the historical origin of the church of Santa Maria della Castagna (Our Lady of Chestnut). This poetic tradition is confirmed by an ancient mural fresco preserved in a chapel not far from the church. Prof Tacchi writes: "In it we see two peasants in an act of great reverence, one kneeling, the other standing with his hands joined and rake at his feet."

Then they admire the Blessed Virgin who appeared to them and raised her finger towards a tall chestnut tree on which, in the midst of the leaves, one could see the hedgehogs showing their already ripe fruits. In a corner is painted the Sanctuary of the Virgin.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"May eternally be blessed the Most Holy Trinity, for the incarnation of the Word in you, O Mary and for your holy visitation with which you bring your Jesus to us as the consolation of supernatural life."

(Justin Russolillo, Devotional, Vocationist Editions, Pianura, 2009, p. 196)

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