Messina Port
and the Blessing of a Golden Madonnina.
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What does “Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus” mean? I thought last time we crossed the Strait of Messina, and passed the 7 metre tall, golden Madonnina guarding the city and Messina port. Of course I forgot to check it out, until I came across these pictures, and the same question popped up again.
The statue greeting all visitors who enter Messina from the sea.
The answer is provided by Google, who tells me that the meaning of the inscription is “We bless you and your city”. It is a quote from a letter the Virgin Mary sent to the population of Messina in the year 42.
A Letter from Virgin Mary
Legend has it that the Apostle Paul came to Messina around this time two thousand years ago to convert the Sicilians to Christianity.
The locals were not too eager to give up their old deities, but by and by great numbers were persuaded. And some of them insisted on accompanying Paul on a trip to Palestine. Here they met with the Mother of Christ and persuaded her to send a letter to the citizens of Messina. The letter, which was written in Hebrew, was rolled and tied with a lock of her hair.
In the letter to the people of Messina, the Holy Mother said that she appreciated their devotion and would grant them perpetual protection. The letter ended with the words “Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus”
The Golden Madonnina
1900 years later the same words were inscribed on the old fort San Salvatore. The fort serves as a plinth for the 60 metre tall octagonal column that carries the statue of the Madonna della Lettera.
Reminding me of a new object of investigation: For whatever happened to the letter and the strand of Virgin hair?
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Baroque University building: Admiring the spirit(s) of Catania
Italian Notes
Italian Notes
Very interesting!
A letter from the Virgin Mary! Wonder why we never got one of those up here…
She had no staps
I love reading all the history!!
What an interesting history and amazing that a letter from the Virgin Mary can be traced back.
Very cool it can be traced back that far. Interesting story!
Fascinating story. Thank you for the post. :)
What a lovely story. I’d not heard it before. Would love to know what happened to the letter an the lock of hair.
Yes. It’s probably in some museum somewhere. Without a helping note to identify the contents.
Yeah, like its not made up or anything.
There is s museum in the church and they have the letter and the madonas hair in an special container as a relic, it’s show to the people once a year with the golden imagen if our lady and child; it’s just beautiful
Thank you for the information. Would be fantastic to visit the Messina Port on the day the relics and the letter is displayed.
I visited a church in Messina that claimed to have the letter and lock of hair. The hair was supposedly in something meant to preserve it. So, I never actually saw it. Outside the church was a big German clock. It was a magnificent clock! It captured the attention of many. To me, although I too watched the clock, it was the letter and lock of hair that captured me. Sorry I cannot remember the name of the church but I’m guessing a Google search will reveal it.
The Madonnina still sits at the mouth of the Messina harbor in all her radiance. I ferried by her in Oct. 2013
Wasn’t that long ago I saw her either. And I suppose she’ll remain there for decades to come.
Very interesting that the Catholic faith is very much alive & visual as seen in this structure of the Golden Madonna at the entrance of Messina. I was truly excited as I am a practicing catholic. Another interesting fact on my very recent cruise was the name of a ship that I spotted as we were entering Malta ‘Karol Woytala’ name of st John Paul II. Very encouraging !!
In the south of Italy, the Catholic faith can’t be separated from everyday life. It’s ingrained in the language, the traditions and social fabric of the community.
In 1908 the town was subject to an earthquake which took the lives of around 100 000 people. So much for this divine ‘protection’.
You’re right. That earthquake is one of the deadliest in history destroying 91% of structures in Messina. At that time the Golden Madonnina had not yet been placed in Messina Port, but the blessing ought to have worked anyhow.
God loves Messina…
I’m sure.
I was inside the church in Messina. I experienced the hourly display from the bell tower attached to the church. I also spoke to the curator of the church and went upstairs to a room of relics. The letter and the gair was locked up but I did see other older items, photos are not allowed. I have a Roserary I I bought downstairs in the church store. I believe the history for I have traveled the world since 1968. I encourage visitors to experience this church if you can and they to get upstairs to the museum room.
Now I know what happened to the letter:) Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful experience.