The Our Lady who cried, in a family home in Siracusa
to a medical commission, chaired by Dr Michele Cassola. On 1st September, the commission collected a liquid sample that came from the eyes of the Madonna. The tears underwent scientific analysis which concluded that they were indeed human tears.
The devotion that emerged from this phenomenon was a great one. The small image of Our Lady of tears, was moved to close by, to Piazza Euripides from 1953 until 1968, and then was placed in the crypt of the Sanctuary, where it remained from 1968 to 1994. Finally Her image was placed in the upper temple of the Sanctuary.
Physical healing
In the first two months of this special event, the Medical Commission registered about 300 acts of extraordinary healing. The following are just some of the witnesses of that time, taken from a document dated November 1953 bearing the Ecclesiastic approval of Canon Salvatore Cilia, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Syracuse:
The first person to be healed was Antonina Giusto Iannuso, the owner of the image of the Madonna and the first person who saw tears flowing from Our Lady’s eyes. From then on she no longer had problems during her current pregnancy or in those that followed.
The Syracusan boy Salvatore Aliffi, who was almost two years old, was examined by doctors who found he had a tumour. After his distraught parents sought the intercession of Mary, the child no longer suffered from pain anymore.
The three year old Syracusan girl Enza Moncada, from the age of one, suffered from paralysis in her right arm. After they applied cottonwool, blessed in front of the image of Our Lady of tears, she began to move her arm.
The 38 year old Syracusan woman, Caterina Ferracani was affected by cerebral thrombosis, and was paralyzed and mute. After returning from a visit to the Madonna, and applying blessed cottonwool, she regained her voice.
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary was designed in 1957 by two French architects, Michel Andrault and Pierre Parat. The structural works were carried out by Engineer Riccardo Morandi. The construction of the temple began in 1966. Because the design and the project itself were very modern, from the start there was much controversy. Locals considered the project a “concrete monster” that would further impact negatively, the already compromised urban area. These problems delayed the project and it was finalised only in 1994.
During the excavation, workers uncovered the remains of houses dating back to the VI century BC. They also uncovered a piece of a road which in the past was the principal road to Akradina. These remains are still visible in the sanctuary.
The construction ended after about 28 years. The Sanctuary was consecrated, inaugurated and dedicated to Our Lady of Tears on the 6th November, 1994 by Pope St. John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Syracuse.
Eight years later, in 2002, the same Pope raised this Sanctuary to the dignity of a minor basilica.
The Sanctuary encompasses the basilica (temple above) and crypt (temple below), with a conical body formed by ribs of reinforced concrete 103 m high. At the top there is a steel crown which contains a statue of the Madonna in gilded bronze, the work of Francesco Caldarella. It is surrounded by a halo. The building has a diameter of approximately 72 m. The Sanctuary can hold 11,000 people standing and 6,000 people seated.
The structure has various interpretations including the concept of lifting the human mind to God. In fact, its circularity is intended to represent mankind reaching God. Other interpretations are the following: a lighthouse, which shows Mary leading people to the port, Jesus; a tent in which the Mother welcomes Her children to get them to the Father; an upside down lily, and finally a tear that falls from high – making a dynamic impact on the ground.
The upper basilica
The main altar contains the miraculous image of Our Lady. In the basilica there are three sacristies situated behind the main altar, and various chapels. On the left we find the chapel with a reproduction of the Sacred image of Jesus and the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. On the right we find the chapel of the altar of Charity, where the statue of St Lucy, St Joseph and St. Pio of Pietrancina are exposed. The latter was previously exposed in the Sanctuary’s crypt chapel.
The lower crypt
The crypt of the Sanctuary was consecrated and dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on 28th August, 1968 by Mgr Giuseppe Bonfiglioli, the Syracuse Archbishop. The next day, the miraculous image of Our Lady of Tears was moved to the upper sanctuary. On 1st September of the following year the crypt was inaugurated by Cardinal Francesco Carpinio, the Archbishop of Palermo.
In the crypt, there are the preserved Roman ruins, and a pagan Ipogeo. Beside these is a large room which was originally decorated with mosaic walls. In the crypt there are various chapels, including that of St Corrado Confalonieri, St Agatha, St Lucy, and St Francis of Assisi.
We end this article by asking the Immaculate Heart of Mary to guide us and protect us.
Fr. Hermann Duncan is a Carmelite Friar at the Caremlite Priory in Balluta