Our Lady of Trapani

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

August 16: Our Lady of Trapani, Sicily

This Modanna is venerated in a chapel of sanctuary or shrine of Our Lady of the Annunciation (Santuario dell’ Annunziata) in Trapani, Sicily, some 45 miles west of Palermo.

There are several stories about origin of title of Our Lady of Trapani.
According to one, origin of image dates back to year 733, & was work of a sculpture on island of Cyprus.
He placed it in a church of Fagamusta, where it remained a center of devotion to Virgin for 400 years.

Then in 1113, during reign of Baldwin, King of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem there was established in Jerusalem, Order of Templars.
Around 1130, a group of crusaders, knights & nobles on Cyprus, decided they'd join Order of Templars & forthwith took ship to Jerusalem, & with them they took image of Virgin & Child.

The image seems to have remained in Jerusalem for almost 150 years.
Then, after failure of 7th Crusade, one of Knights Templar – said to have been Guerrogio of Pisaset, sailed for Italy taking image with him, possibly to save it from profanation by Turks.

During course of voyage, ship ran into a terrific storm & soon it appeared that ship & all on board were doomed.
But knight didn't despair – he prayed fervently to Blessed Mother & solemnly promised her, if they weathered storm he would enshrine her image on first land they would touch.

The storm died down & eventually ship landed at Trapani, Sicily.
The story of miraculous image of Our Lady of Trapani quickly spread among people of Trapani & they decided to erect a church in Mary’s honor.
Work soon began & church was completed around 1332.

It was rebuilt in 1760.
At one end of church behind main altar, there is a fine chapel & in it stands venerated image of Madonna of Trapani, a statue of marble, depicting Virgin with Infant on her left arm.
A new statue was sculptured, for modern authorities think present statue is a work of 13th century art schools, possibly of Fisan School.
However, Our Blessed Mother needs neither time, artists, nor sculptors to make her image famous.