| Our
Lady of Terzito
The
Sanctuary of the Madonna del Terzito, located at the center of
the isle of Salina in the territory of Leni, dates back to ancient
times when a hermit built a shrine with modest dimensions with an image
of Our Lady for his solitary prayer. In time, the shrine was replaced
by a large church to Our Lady for the devotion of the people. The
church fell into ruins after the death of the hermit and was rebuilt in
657.
Eventually
the island was occupied by the Saracens and the church once more fell
into disuse. Though the Saracens abandoned the island in 1080, the
memory of the church was almost forgotten for another 600 years. It was
a vision received by Alphonso Mercorella in 1622 which revived the
devotion of the people.
In
1622, Alphonso Mercorella and his son John went to clear some woods. As
Alphonso rested during a break, he had a vision of a lady, her dress
had the color of the red of roses, her mantle was as blue as the sky;
she had a white veil on her head and a small bell in her right hand.
Alarmed, Alphonso fled but later told the other workers what he had
seen. They returned to where he had seen the vision and heard the
tinkling of a bell. They cleared the ground and came upon the ruins of
an ancient church. Next they uncovered a picture. It was the lady of
his vision. With this recognition the tinkling of the bell stopped.
Consequently, the church was rebuilt and many found comfort and healing
there. Pilgrimages began to arrive from all parts of Sicily and
Calabria.
Thereupon
the first sanctuary of the Madonna del Terzito, hailing a copy
of the original sacred image, was built.
The
temple was restored in the second half of the XIX century and was
consecrated on July 21, 1901. The sanctuary in the shape of a Latin
cross is divided into three naves and shows refined and precious
decorations. Inside there is a wooden statue made by an unknown author
which shows the image of Our Lady from the ancient picture.
At
the central altar there is a beautiful canvas showing the Virgin with a
hand-bell with which she protects her people from the volcanic arc of
Eolie.
During
the last decades the Sanctuary has undergone some important structural
changes. To the front entrance have been added two bell-towers in the
last decades on the front, flanking a marble statue of Our Lady; the
enclosed courtyard at the entrance to a building (parvis), has
been repaired; the finely decorated major nave has been enlarged.
The
first migrants from the Aeolian Islands arrived in Australia in 1880.
Their beginnings here were very difficult. As their homesickness
lessened, they wished to have their beloved Madonna with them. In 1929
they contemplated building a church in her honour in Sydney but their
plan could not be realised at that time. However, the statue of the Madonna
del Terzito was brought to Sydney and placed in the parish church
of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, at
Gladesville. The entire Italian colony in Sydney attended as the
Apostolic Delegate, His Excellency Archbishop Cattaneo, solemnly
blessed the statue of the migrant Madonna.
The celebration of the feast day was set for
the fourth Sunday of July. Great crowds attend the celebrations
each year. On the silver jubilee of the blessing of the statue the
church was doubled in size and the Italian community donated the marble
altars.
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