Our Lady of Forno Alpi Graie
Italy (1629)
The origin of the first statue is the result of a prodigy witnessed by Peter Garino, a native of Groscavallo.
He unearthed two ex-votos - the Madonna of Loreto and the other St. Charles Borromeo - in poor condition and decided to have them restored and then place them back where he found them. In 1630 he was forced to return to Groscavallo because of the plague and brought the two images, placing them in a box for safety but, at the entrance of the Valley of the Sea, going to provide food for the cattle, he suddenly found the images hanging from the branches of a tree. When he prayed in bewilderment to Our Lady, she then appeared to him, telling him to present them to the priests there, in order to “inspire more ardently the Christian life among the people.”
Text and image used with permission.
Source: "365 Days with Mary" by Michael O'Neill
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