Madonna Dello Scoglio, Calabria, Italia

Madonna Dello Scoglio

Fratel Cosimo Fragomeni was born in 1950 in Santa Domenica di Placanica, a village of Calabria, one of the poorest regions in Italy. From an early age he was a committed Roman Catholic and when he was 18, he reported to the village priest, don Rocco Gregorace, having had four visions in which the Mother of God, standing on a rock (scoglio), appeared to him. The first of these visions took place on the 11th May 1968. The Virgin Mary asked Cosimo to transform the valley into a shrine in order to bring people closer to God.

For that reason on the rock of the apparition, Cosimo built a little chapel, and called the shrine “Madonna dello Scoglio” (Our Lady of The Rock) because the Virgin Mary appeared to him on the top of the rock. He also placed a marble statue of Our Lady on the rock of the apparitions. Pilgrims come from all over the world to pray and touch the sacred rock, through the metal fencing that circumscribes it, testifying great miracles and conversions.

Shortly after the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Cosimo began to lead prayer and healing sessions for pilgrims and many people were cured from diseases. Although he had received little formal education, he was admitted to the lay order of the Franciscan brothers with the name of "Fratel Cosimo”. He leads a mystical life, living in solitude in a house near the apparition rock, fasting and praying like an hermit, and avoiding any sense of celebrity.

Fratel Cosimo is a man of God, appreciated by his Bishop for his obedience and humility to the Catholic Church. He emphasizes prayer as the primary vehicle for opening oneself to God and for receiving spiritual and physical healing.

Thanks to the donations of the pilgrims, the shrine grounds and facilities have been expanded. A foundation and a rosary prayer group have been established and on the 8th December 2007  the local Bishop Mons. Morosini, declared the “Scoglio” official Catholic shrine.

The Mysterious Painting of Madonna Dello Scoglio

In the small chapel built by Fratel Cosimo, there is a stunning painting of the Virgin Mary, painted by the local painter Ilario Tarsitani, following Fratel Cosimo's suggestions. Apparently, the artist had painted the body of the Madonna according to the indications of Fratel Cosimo and was about to begin painting the face, but he found himself unable to do it. He simply could not work further. He put the painting aside, took a new canvas and began again by painting  the body, but he could not do the face. The same problem occurred with a third canvas and the painter had to surrender.

Discouraged, he asked Fratel Cosimo what to do and was told: “Don’t worry, the Mother of God will think of it.” The next day Fratel Cosimo, returning to his house, found the painter in tears and the painting finished. The artist denied having worked on it during the previous night, concluding that it was a miracle and that the Virgin Mary painted Her face by Herself.

 Madonna Dello Scoglio Rosary in Blue Fire Agate

To purchase this rosary please visit my Etsy shop.

Information taken from http://patriziacattaneo.com/lang3/index.html