Pope Innocent XI granted a Pontifical decree of coronation to the image on 17 November 1682. The fresco image was reputedly painted by the Roman artisan Gentile da Fabriano and measures 40 to 45 centimetres (16 to 18in) on a thin layer of plaster.
Over the centuries, devotions to this Marian title became widespread among Roman Pontiffs and Catholic saints, later added to the Litany of Loreto via the Pontifical decree Ex Quo Beatissima in 1903. The Rosary Pope raised her shrine to the status of Minor Basilica in the same year whilst the feast day is of the image is on 25—26 April.
During the reign of Pope Sixtus III in the fifth century, the town of Genazzano, about 48 kilometres (30mi) south of Rome, had contributed a large portion of its revenue for the Roman basilica now known as Saint Mary the Great. In appreciation, a church, called Santa Maria, was built in Genazzano and was later entrusted by the Royal House of Colonna to the Augustinian Order in 27 December 1356 via notarized decree.
The Genazzano church became a popular place of pilgrimage. Numerous cures were said to take place there. The Augustinian friars were invited to minister to the spiritual needs of the pilgrims. They continue to serve there to this day.[1]
Cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Our Lady of Good Counsel (1906) venerated in Naples, Italy.
According to pious tradition documented by the Prior General of the Augustinian Order, Ambrogio Massari, published in his culminated work, Defensorium Ordinis Fratrum Heremitarum Sancti Augustini Responsivium ad Maledicta Canonicorum Assertorum Regularium Congregationnis Frisonariæ (Section: Chronica, 1482), that the miraculous event had occurred in the year 1467.
The local convent was in dire need of repair and a local widow without any children (aged 39), Petruccia da Genazzano (1428—1470) sold her house and material possessions. She was known for piety and was dedicated to the restoration project, but ran out of construction funds before the task was completed.[2]
Due to this failure, Petruccia was greatly mocked by the local townspeople for which she requested a miracle from Heaven. In the midst of the festivities for the feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the townsfolk suddenly heard "heavenly music." A mysterious cloud was then said to have descended on the unfinished wall of the parish church. In front of the people, the cloud dissipated and a beautiful fresco, no thicker than a carte-de-visite and no more than eighteen inches square, of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child was revealed.[3] It was widely believed that it had been miraculously transported by angelic beings from a church in Shkodër, Albania just prior to its invasion by the Ottomans.[4] This work was presented to Pope Sixtus IV who led a scrutinized investigation to the miraculous claims.
Petruccia da Genazzano died in 1470 (aged 42) and her mortal remains were interred in the capped niche above the Marian image until 1734. Because the Marian image was already considered "low" at the eye—level of the faithful, it would be impious to place anything above the venerated image. Therefore, the Augustian Order elected to transfer her mortal remains to the backside of the altar in 1882, where they remain for public veneration today. She also has the localized title of Blessed due to her association to the site.
An image of "Our Lady of Paradise", using the former title of the namesake devotion. Manila, Philippines.
The image was originally called "La Madonna del Paradiso" and now known as "Madonna del Buon Consiglio" (English: Our Lady of Good Counsel).[3][4] Among her noted devotees have been Saints Aloysius Gonzaga, Alphonsus Liguori, Don Bosco, and Blessed Stephen Bellesini.
Medieval art experts consulted during a restoration conducted between 1957 and 1959 suggest that the image of the Madonna was once part of a larger fresco that covered the wall and was subsequently covered over with plaster. They believe the fresco is likely the work of the early fifteenth century artist Gentile da Fabriano, probably painted around the time of Pope Martin V (1417—1431).[5]
Pope Urban VIII made a pilgrimage to the Gennazano shrine in 21 October 1630 due to the Roman plague at the time.
Pope Clement XII granted Plenary indulgences to pious Catholics who visit the shrine on 25 April, the original feast date of its Marian apparition.
Pope Innocent XI granted a Pontifical decree of canonical coronation to the image on 17 November 1682. The rite of coronation was executed on 25 November 1682.
Pope Benedict XIII established an Office of Catholic Mass under this title for the priests of Gennazano locality in 10 April 1727 in the form of a Papal indult, retaining them the original privilege to celebrate on 25 April, while others must move the feast date to 26 April (to avoid conflict with the Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist).
Issued the Pontifical decree Iniunctæ Nobis Licet on 2 July 1753 which established the "Pious Union of Our Lady of Good Counsel".
Pope Pius VI finally approved the cultus of documents In Festo Apparitionis Sacræ immaginis from the first submission of the In Memoriam Prodigiosæ Apparitionis (suppressed) by the Augustinian promoter—priests, Angelo Maria de Orgio and Pietro Paolo Ferrocci. The Pontifical approbation was finally granted through the former Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, Cardinal Giovanni Archinto who notarized the decree.
Ultimately established a renewed Office of Catholic Mass under this devotional title for the Augustinian Order in 18 December 1779.
Visited the Genezzano shrine in 15 August 1864, accompanied by the former Papal Antechamber, the Augustinian Bishop Francesco Marinelli.
The altar of Genezzano, with the original fresco permanently secured.
Pope Leo XIII was a member of the namesake pious union [6] and granted the following Pontifical decrees:
Renewed a new set of Office of Catholic Mass for the Augustinian Order on 18 December 1884.
Memorialized the motto Fili Acquisce Consiliis Eius for the (formerly) exclusive scapular in 21 December 1893 during a private audience with the Superior General of the Hermits of Saint Augustine.
Issued the Pontifical decree Sacris Ædibus Deo which raised the shrine of Genezanno to the status of Minor Basilica on 17 March 1903.
Issued a Pontifical decree titled Ex Quo Beatissima in 22 April 1903 which canonically added the namesake title "Mater Boni Consilii" in the Litany of Loreto.
Granted the Pontifical decree Beatæ Mariæ Virginis which raised the namesake shrine of Madre del Buon Consiglio in Naples to the status of Minor Basilica on 2 January 1980. He later made an Apostolic Visit to this shrine in 21 October 1979 and 9 November 1990.
A religious sacramental called the "small Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel" (the White Scapular) was presented by the Hermits of Saint Augustine to Pope Leo XIII on 19 December 1893, approved it on 21 December and endowed it with indulgences in a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. The sacramental was previously restricted to the Augustinian Order by special privilege, but now democratized for all Catholic priests regardless of Order affiliation since the Second Vatican Council.
On the front panel of the sacramental (to be made of white wool) is the image of the fresco of Our Lady of Good Counsel, with the inscription, "Mater boni consilii [ora pro nobis]." On the second segment is found the papal coat-of-arms, which includes the Triple Tiara and the Keys of Heaven, with the words of Leo XIII: "Fili acquisce consiliis ejus" (English: Child, listen to her counsels).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
