The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 12 : § 5.101-103

Chapter 12 : The Eleventh Star or Splendour of the Crown of Excellence of the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

She has been and is still recognized and called blessed by all generations in the world

§ 5. She was recognized  and honoured by all Nations everywhere in the world

Italy

OUR LADY OF THE HILLS, OUR LADY OF PEACE, OUR LADY OF THE SQUARE, OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION, OUR LADY OF THE CONCEPTION

 101   The Church called Santa Maria dei Monti (Our Lady of the Hills) derives its name from its location between the Esquiline and Viminal Hills. The miraculous image which is kept there was found in a fern in the year 1580 at the same spot where the Church was later built after a series of miracles dating from day it was discovered. The Church called Our Lady of Peace can lay claim to just as many miracles. On the site where it is presently located, there used to be a Church dedicated to St Andrew. Outside the Church an image of Our Lady was attached to one of the walls[1].

Around 1483, some wasters were playing at dice near this image. One of them flew into a rage when he lost his money and he threw the dice against the face of the image, shouting curses and insults. Not satisfied with that, he drew his dagger out in fury and slashed the image on the chest, the neck, the cheek and the chin. Blood could be seen pouring from all these wounds. No sooner had news of this miracle spread than people came rushing to the scene. The news of the miracle re-awakened devotion and many came here to offer their petitions and promise their services. The Holy Virgin was pleased to show everyone how she wanted to receive veneration at this particular place. In a little while so many wonders had been reported that the Church came to be known as Our Lady of Miracles. 

Later, a time came when the whole of Italy found itself under attack and the city of Rome was being besieged by the Duke of Calabria. Pope Paul IV was then at the helm of the Church and he went to the church to offer his prayers, promising God that if He would be pleased in His goodness, through the intercession of the most sacred Virgin, to restore peace to Italy and deliver Rome from danger, he would build on that site a Church in honour of the Holy Virgin. The request and the promise were no sooner uttered than they were heard in Heaven and followed by the result the Pope had requested.

This caused the Pope to set about building immediately here in the parish of St Andrew a church dedicated to Our Lady and he gave to the new church the sweet and pleasing name: Our Lady of Peace. He was unable to bring the project to completion because death overtook him. It was therefore left to his successor, Pope Innocent VIII, to complete the work and order it in the way which now see it.

Footnotes

[1] Gabriel Pennotus, in Historia Canonicorum Regularium.

 102   The church called Our Lady of the Square also has a miraculous origin. 

In the year 1250 an accident happened in the house of Cardinal Capoce who owned an image of Our Lady painted on brick. This fell accidentally into the well of a stable which overlooked the square. No one knew what happened but they soon found out for during the night the water started to build up and it carried the image right up to the level of the parapet-wall of the well. The water then overflowed and flooded the whole stable. The horses started to get wet and began to kick up a fuss. This woke up the grooms who, when they witnessed this miraculous event, went to inform the Cardinal. He came and reverently took possession of the image, placing it in his private chapel. Later however, Pope Innocent IV ordered a chapel to be built in honour of the holy Virgin on the same spot where the miracle had occurred. The Cardinal happily complied and gave the chapel the name of Our Lady of the Square, because the building looked out over a public square.

The Chapel eventually came into the hands of the Servite fathers and they made a beautiful Church which incorporated the well into which the image had fallen. People drink of this water today as a cure for all manner of illnesses.

 103   The church of Our Lady of Consolation which is located at the foot of the Capitoline Hill also has an image which started to be associated with numerous miracles, starting in the year 1471 and continuing to provide relief and help ever since for those afflicted in the body or soul. This is the origin of its beautiful name: Our Lady of Consolation. The church is one of the loveliest and most frequented in all Rome. 

I cannot pass over in silence something quite remarkable which speaks greatly to the honour of the Holy Virgin and is associated with the church of Saint Martin. Nearly 300 years ago this church, including its high altar, was dedicated to the immaculate Conception of the most glorious Virgin. Several years ago, whilst the high altar was being moved, some authentic evidence of this was found in the form of an ancient parchment on which were written the following words:

In the year 1340, the second indiction[1], it being Tuesday the 8th of December in the time of Boniface IX, the sixth year of his Pontificate, this altar was dedicated with the church in honour of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

This one city, which is effectively the capital of the world and serves as an arsenal of holiness for the soldiers of Christ, would supply us with enough material to fill entire volumes if we had but time enough to spare. We must however continue our journey and proceed into Tuscany.

Footnotes

[1] indiction: Possibly a reference to the fiscal period of fifteen years, instituted by the Emperor Constantine in A.D. 313, and reckoned from the 1st of September 312, which became a usual means of dating ordinary events and transactions, and continued in use as such down through the Middle Ages.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024