| On the Feast of
Saint Mark, April 25 1467, the people of Genazzano, Italy witnessed
a marvellous sight. A cloud descended upon an ancient church
dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel. When the cloud disappeared,
an image of Our Lady and the Child Jesus was revealed which had not
been there before. The image, on a paper-thin sheet, was suspended
miraculously. Soon after the image's
appearance many miracles were attributed to the intercession of Our
Lady of Good Counsel. Because of this, Pope Paul II ordered an
investigation and the results have been preserved.
It was later discovered that
the very same image had been seen in a church dedicated to the
Annunciation in Scutari, Albania. The image in this church was said
to have arrived there in a miraculous manner. Now, the image had
been transported from Albania miraculously to avoid sacrilege from
Moslem invasion.
A commission of enquiry
determined that a portrait from the church was indeed missing. An
empty space the same size as the portrait was displayed for all to
see.
Many miracles continue to be
attributed to Our Lady of Good Counsel. Pope Saint Pius V, for
example, credited victory in the Battle of Lepanto to Her
intercession.
Several Popes have approved the
miraculous image. In 1682 Pope Innocent XI had the portrait
crowned with gold. On July 2 1753 Pope Benedict XIV approved
the Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel, and was the
first to wear it.
In 1884 a special Mass and
Office of the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel was
approved by Pope Leo XIII.
For more than 500 years the
image has continued to attract countless pilgrims.
Although much of the church was
destroyed during World War II, the image has remained intact - and
continues to be suspended
miraculously.
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