It is known by the faithful throughout Italy. It is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of MiraclesIt all began way back on March 9, 1510. The protagonist was an elderly man from Motta di Livenza, in the province of Treviso, John Cigana, for 20 years he had recited the rosary every day and knelt before a shrine of the Madonna, at the crossroads of the roads to Motta, Oderzo and Redigole. That morning, on his way to work, the man was struck by the vision of the Virgin Mary, who spoke to him and ordered that a church be built on that place.
Italians.it he met one of the leaders of the basilica, Father Andrea Tommasi, vicar of the sanctuary.
Why are you, Franciscan Friars Minor, the ones who manage this sacred place?
Because from the very beginning, from when it happened the extraordinary event of the apparitionThe population and those who governed the town decided in council to call upon the friars to guard this holy place, which had been recognized as sacred through canonical process as the site of the apparition of the Madonna. So the first friars from Treviso arrived here and began building a small convent, which then grew larger over time, as did the church. At first it was a simple wooden chapel, made of planks, and then it became the basilica that you can all see now.
What is the importance of this sanctuary today?
First of all, as Pope Francis said, it is a clinic of the spirit, so the greatest thing is confession. First of all there is the apparition of the Madonna And so we can say that sanctuaries are those places that open a path, a channel, a ladder, using the image of Jacob in the Bible. A ladder that reaches heaven! Then there is the experience of confession, therefore the opportunity to confess, to be reconciled with God, and then also support for the local area, for the parishes. There are fewer and fewer parish priests, sometimes burdened by too many commitments, too many things to administer. So, nLet's make up for this a little: in confession, in listening to people, in welcoming them.
The interior of the church of Our Lady of Miracles
Many also come from outside the region, to pray and for miracles...
Yes, Our Lady of Miracles, indeed. Many come here, just look at all the votive offerings on display and the immense number of candles lit to ask for a grace, a supplication. But they also come simply out of Christian fidelity, for a commitment, always tied to the theme of conversion and confession. People come from all over the Northeast, so not only from this area of Veneto, but also from further afield, from the coast, from Friuli, and beyond. So there's a great deal of devotion, and this is perhaps also the most important sanctuary in the diocese and is much loved, much attended by everyone, also because it has a very long history. SThis place has existed for 515 years, always served by the friars, a place loved by all.
What does being in the Motta sanctuary mean to you personally?
For me it is important because I was born here in Motta, like the same rector, Father Mario FavrettoSo it was a bit like coming home. It's a bit strange for me because I've always been assigned to parishes before, I was always assistant priest and then parish priest. Now that I'm here, it's a bit different, because the pastoral style of a parish is obviously different from that of a sanctuary. But God's grace is always the same and acting for the good of God's people is always the same.So it's just a matter of getting a little used to the schedule. The parish has a different style: catechism, meetings, especially in the evening. Here, however, the encounter is more personal, in confession, in spiritual direction, in the various liturgies that are celebrated.
First you mentioned Pope Francis, who popularized the figure of Saint Francis, is that right?
Of course. We're celebrating the Franciscan centenaries; in 2026, we'll enter the last major centenary, which is precisely the anniversary of the saint's death in 1226, 800 years ago. Pope Francis has further validated the figure of Saint Francis, which had already gained considerable popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Francis's life had become widely known, with many events linked to this figure, and even more so in recent years. So, credit goes to the figure of Pope Francis, to these centenaries, which are an important reference, but also to the fact that the feast of Saint Francis has recently become a national holiday, starting next year, on the occasion of the centenary. Francis is everyone's saint, everyone likes him, Beyond the aesthetic aspect or those simpler elements that may be a call to respect nature, Francis is also the one who reminds us of love, of union with God, as he lived fully until the stigmata.
For contacts: ppgad@pucrs.br
