by Don Gabriele Cantaluppi
For nine centuries the Black Madonna has been venerated on Mount Partenio, entrusted to the monks of San Guglielmo. They go up to her
numerous pilgrims, sure of being welcomed in their needs
and in his own tears.
Din 1124, founded by Saint William of Vercelli, on a mountain in the Campania Apennines, the Marian sanctuary of Montevergine dominates the plain below, witness to profound popular devotion to the Madonna venerated there. On Sunday 28 June 2023, the solemnity of Pentecost, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness Pope Francis, began the jubilee year for the nine centuries of the foundation of the sanctuary.
Saint William, born in Vercelli in 1085 to a noble family, moved to southern Italy to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land while still young. After having suffered an attack, in that dramatic event he saw a sign of God's will to make him remain in those places. On an uninhabited peak, called Partenio or Monte Verginiano, for some years he lived as a hermit, until some disciples joined him, with whom he built a church dedicated to the Madonna and later a monastery. From here the Verginian Congregation originated which, after various events over the centuries, in 1879 was united with the Benedictine Cassinese Congregation of the original observance.
The sanctuary, at 1700 meters above sea level, is characterized by two churches: the Ancient Basilica and the Cathedral Basilica. The Ancient Basilica, dating back to the XNUMXth century, originally in Gothic style, has taken on Baroque features following numerous restorations. The Cathedral Basilica, built in the mid-XNUMXth century, is a three-nave structure and houses the venerated effigy of the Black Madonna.
The painting, on pine boards, 4,30 meters high and 2,10 meters wide, depicts the Madonna sitting on a throne who, with a loving gaze, holds Baby Jesus in her arms. Both have a halo, but only Jesus still retains the golden crown, a gift from the Vatican Chapter in 1712, because that of the Madonna was stolen in 1799. Above the painting is the following inscription: Nigra and curvy she is, my friend (You are dark and beautiful, my friend), taken from the Song of Songs (1, 5). One tradition would have it created by Gualtiero, an artist who, following a fall from scaffolding which caused him to fracture his arm, was healed by Saint William; he then decided to become a monk and painted the picture. Historically more reliable is the opinion that it was carried out no later than 1305 by Montano d'Arezzo, commissioned by Philip of Anjou, prince of Taranto.
The nickname given to her of "Schiavona" is curious, that is, slave, foreigner, of low rank, because she was dark-skinned. A title linked to popular culture, without anything derogatory. You allude to the myth of the Seven Madonnas in Campania: they were seven "sisters", six white and one black. Due to the color of her skin, the Madonna of Montevergine was considered the ugliest of the seven. So she, offended by her, took refuge on Mount Partenio, justifying her escape like this: «Yes, I have a bad song, then they have come until there's a gopp to truvà!» (If I'm ugly, then they'll have to come all the way up here to visit me!). The story then turns around, Mamma Schiavona becomes the most beautiful of the sisters, so much so that she is celebrated twice a year: on 2 February and 12 September, in the traditional Jute in Montevergine.
The "Juta", i.e. "going" to the sanctuary, which has origins dating back to the Middle Ages and which once took place by any means, on foot or on carts, is a custom that is still alive. On September 12th the pilgrims leave early in the morning and the ascent is characterized by "tammurriate", original Campanian dances that continue for the entire morning in the sanctuary's churchyard. Characteristic is the song that is performed on the ancient "holy staircase" of the church: at each step you stop, a soloist intones the proposal while the choir concludes. The staircase consists of 23 steps; at the end of the ritual, you enter the church and leave through the main door singing accompanied by the drum, without ever turning your back on the painting of the Madonna.
Mamma Schiavona, "who grants everything and forgives everything" to her devotees, is the mother with a very big heart. This is confirmed by a legend, set in 1256, which tells of two young homosexuals, discovered in intimate attitudes. It was a scandal for the entire community of the time, which reacted by tying them to a tree so that they would freeze to death and be torn to pieces by wolves. The Virgin, moved by their story, freed them from the chains and the people, having recognized the miracle, could not help but accept what had happened. Since then the Black Madonna has been celebrated for her protective mantle over the last, the weak, the poor, the marginalized. Even today in the "juta dei femminielli", transsexual people in traditional Neapolitan costume gather in the sanctuary in the freezing climate of February 2, to pay homage to "Mamma Schiavona" the black Madonna of Montevergine, considered the protector of every minority. In the churchyard of the sanctuary the celebration continues in a whirlwind of dances and songs, with the promise: «Be good, my Maronna, the year that comes will come». A cheerful, sharing party, in recent years it has also found appeal on issues of tolerance.
Saint Joseph is also present in the sanctuary in two works by Baroque painters from the Neapolitan area. A canvas, small in size and of a devotional nature, attributed to Giovanni Ricca, a little-known painter but disciple of the more famous José de Ribera lo Spagnoletto, depicts Saint Joseph as a very elderly man tenderly embracing Baby Jesus; it is preserved in the Abbey museum. Another painting by Paolo De Majo, a representative of Neapolitan religious painting and friend of Saint Alfonso de' Liguori, depicts Saint Joseph and Saint Benedict delivering the monastic Rule to the founder Saint William.