the Sanctuary of Maria SS. Incoronata in Apricena
The last Saturday of April 1001 in the wood of Cervaro near Foggia, the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd and said: “…. don’t be afraid, I’m the Mother of God”.
This was the beginning of the noteworthy movement of pilgrims coming from everywhere to see the statue of the Virgin that appeared on the tree. Everybody started to call her “Incoronata”. The sanctuary was, thus, one of the pilgrimage destinations in the area of Capitanata, like the one in Monte Sant’Angelo. In 1218 the worship of Incoronata had already spread in the area. In a document of the same year, dealing with Santa Maria of Ripalta, the following statement can be read: “the Monastery of Santo Spirito in Gulfignano, recognized in 1232 as grancia of S. Maria Incoronata, moved to Santa Maria dell’Incoronata in the area of Apricena”. Since 1583, the community of Apricena dedicated an altar to the “Immaculate Conception” in the Franciscan Church of the Capuchin Convent. Towards the second half of the 1700, in the old chapel of the Madonna di Loreto, “on the street leading to Terranova” (Poggio Imperiale), a wooden effigy was placed by the worship community of Apricena. This was the beginning of the history of OUR SANCTUARY. In 1868 something extraordinary happened: “The statue of the Incoronata moved HER eyes” (this was certified by the sworn statement of Mr. Mimmo Antonio). In the town archive a decree issued by the then-mayor Michele Zuccarino can be found: it ordered the closing of the Sanctuary for reasons related to public order. The community rose up against it and spent the whole night in front of the sanctuary as a sign of protest. The miracle is still reported in the following years: in the Mother-Church, the 8th of August 1908, the then-canon, Don Michele Tartaglia affirmed: “In the afternoon, I persistently heard someone screaming that the statue had moved its eyes. I rushed into the church and ascertained the actual movement of the eyes, looking up towards the sky, and then lowering towards the crowd. This happened many times, so it had nothing to do with suggestion, as the same crowd witnessed the phenomenon.
I clearly remember that Dr. Alfonso De Filippis and the postman Michele Campanozzi were next to me and confirmed the miracle out loud. I didn’t hesitate to play the litanie lauretane with the organ, followed by the believers”. There was such a clamour that the effigy was brought back to the sanctuary in the month of September, as firmly requested by people. The same evidence was given by Mr. Liuzzi Michele, the sacristan of the Mother-Church. In 1940, Pope Pius XII, declared the Incoronata the patron of Apricena. The original chapel was expanded and restored between 1882 and 1883. Only in 1945 it was dedicated to Maria S.S. Incoronata by Monsignor Giuseppe Di Girolamo and later raised to SANTUARIO MARIANO DIOCESIANO in 1955 by Monsignor Domenico Vendola. On the 31st of May 2001 after 1000 years from the first apparition in the wood of Cervaro, the people of Apricena and the clergy represented by Michele Seccia, implored the protection of the Mother and Patron of Apricena, by lighting the eternal flame, symbol of the great love and devotion of the community of Apricena. But this is today’s history. On 2nd July 2002 the authority of the historical, artistic, and anthropologic patrimony of Bari authorized the restoration of the simulacrum of the Madonna. Thus, it could be dated back to the second half of the 1700 and its authorship was attributed to the Neapolitan School. Furthermore, it was possible to admire the vividness of the colours, the richness of gold and silver details, and the elegance of the image. The restoration highlighted the features and the regality of the Virgin, sitting on a tree as on a throne, and the similarity to many other local images all coming from the Neapolitan School.
On 24th of May 2004 Monsignor Michele Seccia, after reading the Bolla Della Penitenzeria Apostolica , opened the Holy Door of the Jubilee Year, on the 50th anniversary of the raising to the Santuario Mariano Diocesano of the Incoronata’s Church. On 28th of May 2004, the cardinal Carlo Furno, archpriest of the Patriarchal Cathedral of S. Maria Maggiore in Rome, proclaimed through a rescriptum of the Penitenzeria Apostolica , that the Sanctuary of Maria SS. Incoronata in Apricena was affiliated to the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral of S. Maria Maggiore.
Everything else belongs to the history, life and dreams of each resident of Apricena… “A tutte quante da, a tutte cunsule, pe tutte nu si Madonna ‘Ncurunete ”.
This was the beginning of the noteworthy movement of pilgrims coming from everywhere to see the statue of the Virgin that appeared on the tree. Everybody started to call her “Incoronata”. The sanctuary was, thus, one of the pilgrimage destinations in the area of Capitanata, like the one in Monte Sant’Angelo. In 1218 the worship of Incoronata had already spread in the area. In a document of the same year, dealing with Santa Maria of Ripalta, the following statement can be read: “the Monastery of Santo Spirito in Gulfignano, recognized in 1232 as grancia of S. Maria Incoronata, moved to Santa Maria dell’Incoronata in the area of Apricena”. Since 1583, the community of Apricena dedicated an altar to the “Immaculate Conception” in the Franciscan Church of the Capuchin Convent. Towards the second half of the 1700, in the old chapel of the Madonna di Loreto, “on the street leading to Terranova” (Poggio Imperiale), a wooden effigy was placed by the worship community of Apricena. This was the beginning of the history of OUR SANCTUARY. In 1868 something extraordinary happened: “The statue of the Incoronata moved HER eyes” (this was certified by the sworn statement of Mr. Mimmo Antonio). In the town archive a decree issued by the then-mayor Michele Zuccarino can be found: it ordered the closing of the Sanctuary for reasons related to public order. The community rose up against it and spent the whole night in front of the sanctuary as a sign of protest. The miracle is still reported in the following years: in the Mother-Church, the 8th of August 1908, the then-canon, Don Michele Tartaglia affirmed: “In the afternoon, I persistently heard someone screaming that the statue had moved its eyes. I rushed into the church and ascertained the actual movement of the eyes, looking up towards the sky, and then lowering towards the crowd. This happened many times, so it had nothing to do with suggestion, as the same crowd witnessed the phenomenon.
I clearly remember that Dr. Alfonso De Filippis and the postman Michele Campanozzi were next to me and confirmed the miracle out loud. I didn’t hesitate to play the litanie lauretane with the organ, followed by the believers”. There was such a clamour that the effigy was brought back to the sanctuary in the month of September, as firmly requested by people. The same evidence was given by Mr. Liuzzi Michele, the sacristan of the Mother-Church. In 1940, Pope Pius XII, declared the Incoronata the patron of Apricena. The original chapel was expanded and restored between 1882 and 1883. Only in 1945 it was dedicated to Maria S.S. Incoronata by Monsignor Giuseppe Di Girolamo and later raised to SANTUARIO MARIANO DIOCESIANO in 1955 by Monsignor Domenico Vendola. On the 31st of May 2001 after 1000 years from the first apparition in the wood of Cervaro, the people of Apricena and the clergy represented by Michele Seccia, implored the protection of the Mother and Patron of Apricena, by lighting the eternal flame, symbol of the great love and devotion of the community of Apricena. But this is today’s history. On 2nd July 2002 the authority of the historical, artistic, and anthropologic patrimony of Bari authorized the restoration of the simulacrum of the Madonna. Thus, it could be dated back to the second half of the 1700 and its authorship was attributed to the Neapolitan School. Furthermore, it was possible to admire the vividness of the colours, the richness of gold and silver details, and the elegance of the image. The restoration highlighted the features and the regality of the Virgin, sitting on a tree as on a throne, and the similarity to many other local images all coming from the Neapolitan School.
On 24th of May 2004 Monsignor Michele Seccia, after reading the Bolla Della Penitenzeria Apostolica , opened the Holy Door of the Jubilee Year, on the 50th anniversary of the raising to the Santuario Mariano Diocesano of the Incoronata’s Church. On 28th of May 2004, the cardinal Carlo Furno, archpriest of the Patriarchal Cathedral of S. Maria Maggiore in Rome, proclaimed through a rescriptum of the Penitenzeria Apostolica , that the Sanctuary of Maria SS. Incoronata in Apricena was affiliated to the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral of S. Maria Maggiore.
Everything else belongs to the history, life and dreams of each resident of Apricena… “A tutte quante da, a tutte cunsule, pe tutte nu si Madonna ‘Ncurunete ”.
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