The Madonna dell'Arco

The sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna dell'Arco is a place of worship located in the district of the same name, in the Vesuvian town of Sant'Anastasia, in the province of Naples. Every year, on Easter Monday, a traditional pilgrimage takes place, drawing worshippers from all over Campania. Known as the fujenti or battenti (the “runners” or “beaters”, devotees who traditionally ran or beat their chests in penance), these pilgrims follow a vocal melody dating back to the 15th century, which was later set to music over the following centuries.

It is one of the oldest and most famous places of worship in Campania. The name "dell'Arco" ("of the Arch") is linked to a precise episode. In 1450, in the ancient locality known as "Archi" — so called because of the arches of a Roman aqueduct standing there — a sacred effigy of the Virgin was said to have bled, after being deliberately struck by a young man from Nola. The image, immediately venerated by the people, became a source of great miracles. Construction of the sanctuary began in 1593 and was completed in 1610.

THE FIRST MIRACLE

Aurelia del Prete, a woman deformed in both body and soul, instead of showing gratitude to the Madonna dell'Arco for a grace she had received, would often curse her in the most terrible way. On Easter Monday of 1589, she scandalised a huge crowd that had gathered to venerate the Sacred Image by uttering the blackest blasphemies. The following year, in 1590, during the night between Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, her feet detached from her ankles; they are still preserved today in a small cage in the Sanctuary. The Bishop of Nola opened a formal canonical process into the event, and from that day the devotion to the Madonna dell'Arco spread widely.

THE PLACE AND THE IMAGE

The pious custom of erecting small sacred shrines along roads, on the walls of houses, at the entrances to farmland, is a very ancient one. A practice that, beyond devotion, also marked reference points across the land. Many such shrines remain, almost untouched, after centuries. And so, in the fifteenth century, a small shrine dedicated to the Madonna stood at the edge of the road linking Naples to the various Vesuvian towns, on the side of Monte Somma. This shrine stood about eight kilometres from the capital of southern Italy, in the territory of the town of Sant'Anastasia, in the district known as «Arco» because of the remaining arches of an ancient Roman aqueduct.

This may well be the reason why, most probably, the many devoted worshippers came to call the sacred image «Madonna dell'Arco». The painting certainly holds no great artistic merit, but it is striking for the sorrowful expression on the face, dominated by two large eyes that seem to pierce the soul of anyone who looks at them, leaving behind an unforgettable memory.

Today, anyone entering the Sanctuary sees it inside the small shrine built in 1621, on the very spot where the painted low wall once stood. During restoration work in 1952, the marble panel covering part of the painting at the front was removed, revealing much of the original image, which was later covered once again. In March 2000, at the end of restoration works on the entire shrine, the marble panel was finally removed for good. In this way, it is once more possible to admire the painting in its entirety, just as the Madonna must have appeared in the 1400s to the travellers who passed before it, who certainly already held, even then, a deep devotion to her.

Devotion to the Most Holy Virgin dell'Arco is also widespread in Naples, where processions take place in every district of the city thanks to numerous associations, especially in spring. The cult extends to other areas of Campania, and in particular to the province of Naples. In the locality of Civita Giuliana in Pompeii, there is a church bearing this title, and the same is true for the towns of Vietri sul Mare and Pesco Sannita. The Madonna dell'Arco is also the patron saint of the town of Mangone, in the province of Cosenza. Lastly, a few votive shrines can also be found in Castellammare del Golfo, in the province of Trapani.