Our Lady of the City

Marian dedication of Itri (Lazio)

La advocación de Our Lady of the Civite (Madonna della Civita) is linked to the ancient Marian sanctuary that crown Mount Civita, in the end of Itri, diocese of Gaeta (Lazio region, Italy). It does not appear in the basic repertories of Marian advocations of Colombia or in general lists of advocations by countries, which confirms its very Italian and non-Colombian character.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady of the Civite (Madonna della Civita) is linked to the ancient Marian sanctuary that crown Mount Civita, in the end of Itri, diocese of Gaeta (Lazio region, Italy). It does not appear in the basic repertories of Marian advocations of Colombia or in general lists of advocations by countries, which confirms its very Italian and non-Colombian character.

Tradition / legend: The local tradition (as often transmitted in sanctuaries of Byzantine icons) speaks of a imagen antigua de tipo oriental found by pastors or peasants on the mountain, interpreted as a sign of the predilection of the Virgin in that place. As no historical documents detailing this narrative (dates, names of the protagonists or officially approved accounts) have been found among the accessible sources, these data should be considered pious legend of oral origin, not documented history. There is no official narrative in the sources consulted by the diocese of Gaeta online.

Documented history: What is certain, by general ecclesial references, is that:

– La imagen es venerada como Madonna of the Civita in the territory of the diócesis de Gaeta. – Es reconocida como patron of the diocese of Gaeta, título que la distingue entre otras advocaciones locales. – En el siglo XIX se consolidó su culto con un acto de coronación (véase más abajo) y con la afirmación de su patronazgo sobre la diócesis. – La fiesta se celebra el 21 July, date associated with local devotion and collected in calendars of Marian asvocations, although no official online liturgical document has been located that explicitly confirms it.

No academic publications or official notes (accessible online) have been found that allow for a detailed chronological reconstruction of the evolution of the sanctuary (foundation, reforms, precise canonical legal status, etc.); therefore, reliable information on these aspects is “not available”.

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The image and the sanctuary

The image

The available sources agree to describe the Virgin as “Madonna della Civita”, vinculada a un Byzantine tradition iconbut they do not provide, in the resources consulted, a complete technical data sheet (material, dimensions, precise stylistic dating). It is therefore not with certainty:

– whether the support is a board, canvas or other material, – the human authorship or school, – the exact date of execution.

In general, by analogy with other Marian icons of Byzantine origin in central Italy (background data, not specific to the Civita), they are usually representations of the Virgin with the Child in the attitude of blessing or presenting the GospelHowever, in the specific case of Madonna della Civita no consta a detailed iconographic description in the sources consulted, so it is not possible to affirm it rigorously.

The sanctuary

The image is venerated in the Marian sanctuary commonly known as Santuario di Nostra Signora della Civita / Sanctuary of Madonna della Civitalocated on the top or high side of Mount Civita, on the town of Itri (provincia de Latina, Lacio, Italy). The sources of Marian devotion point to this place as an important local pilgrimage center in the diocese of Gaeta, but in the documentation accessible online:

– No consta that the temple has been elevated to the dignity of minor basilica. – No consta an explicit declaration of "national sanctuary" by the Italian Episcopal Conference, although it is recognized as a function of diocesan or regional pilgrimage sanctuary, según la práctica de la diócesis (sin documento específico disponible). – Arquitectónicamente, no se dispone en las fuentes consultadas de una descripción minuciosa (planta, estilo predominante, fases de reforma), por lo que cualquier afirmación detallada al respecto sería especulativa.

In short: it is a Marian sanctuary of the diocese of Gaeta, in Itri, with an icon of Byzantine tradition, not publicly recorded (in the sources used) a title of basilica smaller or a statute larger than that of diocesan sanctuary.

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Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage

General sources of Marian advocacy mention Our Lady of the Civite / Madonna della Civita how patron of the diocese of Gaeta. No clear and documented references to a patronage on a city, municipality or nation beyond this diocesan title have been found:

– Patrona de la diócesis de Gaeta: consta. – Patrona principal de la localidad de Itri: reasonable by local tradition, but no consta expresamente en los documentos consultados. – Patronazgo nacional (Italia) o sobre Colombia: no consta and does not appear in repertory of national patronings.

Canonical coronation

In the devotional tradition it is stated that the image of the Madonna della Civita was coronada en 1856. However, in the sources consulted (Marian repertories, general notes on advocacy, regular databases) no consta a pontifical document or decree of the competent Congregation which would make it possible to establish with certainty:

– que se trate de una canonical coronation (y no meramente “coronación solemne” local), – el Pope que la habría autorizado, – el Pontifician delegate que la habría ejecutado, – la exact date (day and month) of the ceremony.

Consequently, from the strict documentary requirement:

– Sobre la coronación: does not contain a documented canonical coronation (con decreto y datos oficiales accesibles). – Sí puede admitirse, a nivel de tradición local, la referencia a una coronación en 1856without being able to strictly qualify it as canonical in the technical sense.

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Party and devotion

The liturgical memory and main celebration of Our Lady of the City se sitúa el 21 July, date collected in repertory of Marian advocations, associated with the local feast of Madonna della Civita in the diocese of Gaeta. The text of the liturgical or diocesan calendar which confirms the exact liturgical degree (mandatory memory, party, etc.) has not been located online, so the reference to the party on July 21.

Around this date, the shrine of Itri becomes the center of pilgrimages from the diocese of Gaeta and other areas of the Lazio. The sources consulted do not provide inflow figures (number of pilgrims, statistical data), so no consta reliable quantification. However, being a diocesan patron makes it possible to state that it is a devotion rooted in the pastoral life of the diocese, con:

– processions to the sanctuary, – solemn Eucharistic celebrations, – acts of consecration and prayer for the diocese.

No detailed descriptions of specific popular traditions (night breaks, concrete offerings, blessing of fields, etc.); therefore, any detail in this sense, beyond the existence of pilgrim