Our Lady of Monte Berico
Vicenza, Italy (1426, 1428)
Today, the Sanctuary of Mount Berico1 located high above the city of Vicenza, Italy, is a renowned pilgrimage site of Marian devotion in Europe, greeting millions of visitors each year. But, according to manuscripts of the time, this place was shaken and tormented by pestilence and sickness, from 1404 until after 1428. The situation was so bad that the population declined drastically both because of the many deaths due to the plague and because many were fleeing it.
It was during this time of suffering and strife that Our Lady in her maternal way visited on two occasions this place to console and relieve the suffering people of Vicenza.
If the recent two years of lockdown was terrifying, imagine a plague that lasted from 1404 to1428; according to the city documents, a virulent pestilence spread throughout the whole area around Vicenza, claiming many victims.
The story goes that on 7th March 1426, Vincenza Pasini a devout seventy-year-old Catholic woman was making her way up the the hill of Monte Berico, as was her custom, to bring lunch to her husband who was tending his vineyard. On the way, a beautiful Lady appeared to her; according to documents, this Lady was “in the likeness of a most beautiful queen, with garments more resplendent than the sun, wreathed in a fragrance of a thousand scents.” Overwhelmed by the vision, Vincenza fell prostrate on the ground. The beautiful Lady spoke to Vincenza in these words, “I am the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ who died on the Cross for the salvation of men. I beg you to go and say in my name to the people of Vicenza that they must build in this place a church in my honor if they want to recover their health. Otherwise, the plague will not cease. As proof of what I say, let them dig here, and from the rock, living water will spring.”2
Vincenza replied to the Blessed Virgin, “But people will not believe me. And where, O glorious Mother, will we find the money to do these things?” The Holy Virgin replied, “You will insist so that my people do my will, otherwise they will never be rid of the plague and until they obey, they will see my Son angry with them. As proof of what I say, let them dig here and from the rock living water will spring and, as soon as the building begins, money will not lack.” After saying this, the Blesse Mother, took a twig and traced the Sign of the Cross on the ground and even drew the shape of the church to be built. She then planted the twig in the ground where the high altar of the shrine now stands. The Lady then added, “All those who visit this church with devotion on my feast days and on every first Sunday of the month, will be given an abundance of grace and the mercy of God and the blessing of my motherly hands.”
Vincenza immediately obeyed and began telling everyone she met about the vision and Our Lady’s command to build a church in her honor. Unfortunately, people were too wearied by the plague to be bothered with building a church. Vincenza even went to the bishop, Bishop Pietro Emiliani, but he too didn’t believe her report.
Two years would pass by, before the Virgin would appear again to Vincenza. August 1, 1428 the Lady repeated her previous warning and her recommendation for the health of the people. This time, the people listened. the Bishop recognized the apparitions and the council and the Hall of Government decided to construct a church on Mount Berico and work started twenty-four days after the second apparition, on August 25, 1428; remarkably, the church was completed within three months.3 While they were constructing the building, they workers struck a rock; “a marvelous and incredible source of water flowed… to the point of flooding the area like an abundant river coming noisily down the mount,” just as the Lady had told Vincenza.
As soon as the church was completed, the plague disappeared and never returned, solidifying the people’s faith in the truth of the apparition of Our Lady. The people’s devotion to the Blesse Mother grew and the shrine sees countless pilgrims visiting it today, seeking the graces and blessings from our Heavenly Mother.
Our Lady of Monte Berico pray for us!
References:
https://www.monteberico.it/
Be Not Afraid to Follow the Footprints from Heaven, John Carpenter, Page Pub. Co., 2016.
https://missiomagazine.com/our-lady-of-monte-berico/