The Shrine of Our Lady of Tears has been erected in memory of the miraculous tearing of a plaster effigy depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, placed at the bedside of the spouses Iannuso at their humble home on Via degli Orti in Siracusa, in 1953.This miraculous event was repeated from 29 August to 1 September 1953 in the general emotion of an immense multitude of the faithful. The tears were subjected to scientific analysis under which would have been human tear fluid. The devotion that followed was of enormous proportions. The small image of Our Lady of Tears, first provisionally admitted in the nearby Piazza Euripides, was placed inside the Sanctuary. The work was designed in 1957 by French architects Michel and Pierre Parat Andrault following an international competition. Construction began in 1966 and due to the extreme modernity of the project there were a lot of controversy from the citizens that considered the work a monster of concrete. These diatribes delayed much the realization that ended only in 1994. During the excavation of the foundations was found an area housing the sixth century BC and brought to light a piece of road. This road was the main street of the neighborhood Akradina. Construction was completed after about 28 years, and the sanctuary was inaugurated on 6 November 1994 by Pope John Paul II.The Shrine of Our Lady of Tears in Syracuse is of impressive size (90 meters / 295 ft wide and almost as high), which for better or worse creates a visual reference point of primary importance in the city’s skyline. Circular in shape, the shrine was built to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims drawn to a small plaster image of the Madonna, The shape of the dizzying dome is meant to recall both a tear that falls and a tented pavilion serving as a sign of welcome to pilgrims. M.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 06:51:28 +0000
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