Our Lady of Pompeii

https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-pompeii.html

May 8: Our Lady of Pompeii

Unlike so many of Our Lady’s titles, which go back centuries for their origin, this one is quite recent.
The events which gave rise to this title took place less than 100 years ago.

By last half of 19th century the Valley of Pompeii, near Naples, was practically deserted.
Of the comparatively few people who still lived there, most had lost their ancient Catholic faith; ignorance & superstition prevailed.
Only a handful of people bothered to attend services in the little parish chapel.

In October 1872, a man named Bartolo Longo came to valley.
He was husband of Countess of Fusco, who had some property there; & Bartolo came to see what condition it was in.
He had been reared a Catholic & was probably still one in name, although it seems he wasn't very devout.

On October 9th, a few days after his arrival, he was walking along a rather desolate road when suddenly a voice seemed to speak to him.
It told him that if he wished to be saved, he should spread devotion to the Rosary & that Blessed Virgin had promised, that was the way to find salvation.

Bartolo fell on his knees & replied that if Virgin had truly so promised then he'd be saved; he wouldn't leave the valley until he had popularized Rosary.

His early efforts to interest people in Rosary devotion don't seem to have been very successful, but he persisted, & in 2 or 3 years he'd gathered quite a group around him for daily recitation of prayers in the little chapel.

The Bishop visited talley in 1875, & complimented Bartolo on good work he'd done.
He suggested that a church be built there in honor of Our Lady of Pompeii, & then, turning prophet, Bishop pointed to a field near chapel & declared that someday a basilica would stand on that spot.

As number of people taking part in daily recitation of Rosary grew, it was decided to obtain a picture of Blessed Virgin, to help faithful meditate as they prayed.

On October 13, 1875, Bartolo went to Naples to see if he could find a suitable picture, but after searching for several days, to his great disappointment, he found that any really good picture would cost around 400 francs, & he had nowhere near that amount to spend.

He didn’t want to return empty handed, however, & disappoint good people of Pompeii, so he somewhat reluctantly accepted a secondhand painting from a junk store for 5 lire.
A trucker not knowing what package contained pitched it on top of a load of garbage & so picture arrived at chapel. The people were pleased with dilapidated picture & enshrined it.

Almost immediately several miracles took place through Mary’s intercession as Our Lady of Pompeii.
A church was built, 1876-1891 & a new basilica, 1934-1939, ordered by Pope Pius XI.

*from The Woman in Orbit