They set fire to the Madonna di Capocolonna in Calabria but the flames did not burn the image
La Our Lady of Capocolonna is a sacred icon of extraordinary importance located in the church of Santa Maria di Capocolonna, near the town of Crotone, in Calabria.
Legend has it that during theinvasion of the Turks in the XNUMXth century, these barbarians sacked the church of Capocolonna trying to destroy anything of value. In their violent and cruel attitude, they also placed their attention on the sacred icon of the Madonna, trying to burn and destroy it together with the rest of the church.
The legend of the miraculous effigy
However, they noticed something truly extraordinary. After 3 hours in which it had been enveloped in flames, the canvas had not been scratched, but had become vivid, enveloped in an intense light. At that point they decided to take her with them on one gallea which was en route for the mouth of the Neto. Here, despite the effort of the rowers, the galley remained motionless in the water. The Turks thus took the canvas and threw it into the water and the boat finally began to move.
The canvas thrown into the water arrives at the'Irto di Capo Nao, where it is recovered by a fisherman who takes it home and hides it in a chest. Only after her death did the man reveal the secret of the find. In the 1638 when the Turks were about to besiege the city again, the citizens rallied around the sacred image. The Turks, when they again crossed themiraculous effigy of the Virgin, they ran away in terror.
In 1749, the bishop of Crotone, Monsignor Costa, he decided to laminate the canvas of the painting in silver to give it greater prominence. When in the 1832, the earthquake sowed destruction throughout Calabria, the city of Crotone remains unharmed. Our Lady had protected the city.
Today, the Madonna di Capocolonna continues to be revered by the faithful and considered one of the most important treasures of the church. Every year, thousands of people go to Santa Maria di Capocolonna to pray and offer gifts to the Mother of God, in the hope of obtaining her blessing and her protection.