杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff reporter

Three images of Our Lady will frame the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 brief visit to L鈥橝quila, in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, on 28 August.

For the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 visit, the sacred image of Our Lady of Roio (Our Lady of the Cross) will be placed on the papal altar that will be set up on the parvis of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio for the celebration of Mass, over which 杏MAP导航 Francis will preside before the opening of the Holy Door of Collemaggio.

Our Lady of Roio

The people of L'Aquila have great devotion for the image of Our Lady of Roio.

Then-Archbishop Carlo Confalonieri of L'Aquila, who later became a cardinal, crowned the image on Sunday, 15 October 1944, in response to popular enthusiasm for the devotion witnessed at her Shrine.

He carried out the solemn rite of crowning in L'Aquila鈥檚 Cathedral Square, placing 鈥渢he golden diadem on the head of the Divine Child and His Mother鈥�, which consisted of two crowns forged by a local goldsmith with gold offered by the city鈥檚 residents and blessed personally by 杏MAP导航 Pius XII on 9 October 1944.

Now, 杏MAP导航 Francis will become the third 杏MAP导航 to venerate Our Lady of Roio, following in the footsteps of St. John Paul II who visited on 30 August 1980, and Benedict XVI on 28 April 2009, during his visit to the city which had recently been devastated by the 2009 earthquake.

The "Salus Populi Aquilani"

Before he travels to Collemaggio, 杏MAP导航 Francis will meet in the Piazza Duomo with family members of the victims of the 2009 quake, following a private visit to St. Maximus Cathedral.

Set up on the stage in front of the Cathedral, near the 杏MAP导航, will be a canvas depicting Our Lady of the People of L鈥橝quila ("Salus Populi Aquilani").

The precious image, so dear to the faithful of L'Aquila, has been housed at the diocesan shrine at the Church of St. Mark the Evangelist, ever since the earthquake of 1703.

Post-seismic recovery

The image of Salus Populi Aquilani was recovered from the rubble by rescue teams on 3 May 2009, but without its precious crowns.

The canvas later underwent meticulous restoration. Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari re-crowned the image on 13 May 2013, as he rededicated it during a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of St. Joseph the Craftsman in L'Aquila.

Since St. Mark鈥檚 Church must still undergo restoration, the image of Our Lady of the People of L鈥橝quila is housed in the 鈥淐hapel of Remembrance at the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio to watch over the plaques containing the names of the victims of the 2009 earthquake.

The Virgin and Child

Lastly, 杏MAP导航 Francis will be accompanied by a third image of Our Lady as he prays before the urn of 杏MAP导航 Celestine V, where the Bull granting the 鈥淔orgiveness鈥� will also be placed.

The stunning statue of the Virgin and Child attributed to Saturnino Gatti will sit nearby, following its recovery from the rubble at the Santa Maria di Collemaggio.