Monteortone: the miracle in the water
The Madonna of Health of the Euganean Hills
Where is
What it is and where it is
Monteortone is a neighborhood of Abano at the foot of a small, 168-meter-high hill, home to a community proud of its history. One of the jewels it boasts on its grounds is a sanctuary that sits on a raised plane above the road surface, looking imposing and detached from everyday reality. An elegant monastery, a soaring bell tower, and a structure introduced by a staircase accompany the church, which welcomes worshippers among fine works of art.
Why it is special
The shrine is dedicated to the worship of Our Lady of Health. Inside, it holds an icon miraculously found in a spring, but not just any spring: it is a small cave, now made of masonry, located right next to the shrine. The hot water gushing from within it is said to have miraculous healing powers. Devotion to Our Lady of Health was strengthened and spread to the surrounding area during the plague of 1629-31, and still endures today, so much so that many of the neighboring parishes organize annual pilgrimages to thank Our Lady of Health.
Not to be missed
The processions from neighboring parishes to the shrine are characteristic events, intense both spiritually and because of the feeling of cohesion that unites the different communities in the area. The mode is similar for all of them: with the statues various Madonnas and their most important saints to honor the icon of Our Lady of Monteortone, they leave at dawn. This is because the effigies are weighed down with decorations, jewelry, drapery, and it is important to arrive on time for the 10 a.m. Mass. Once a year, on August 15, it is Our Lady of Monteortone who is carried through the streets, into the heart of her community.
A bit of history
It was May 28, 1428, when Pietro Falco, a soldier whose health had been ruined by war wounds, arrived in the Euganean Hills. A doctor had told him about the healing effects of the Abano Baths, but he, despite his immersions found no benefit. So he decided to address a prayer to Our Lady, who appeared to him shrouded in a cloud and showed him the spot where he could dive to heal and where he would find, submerged in the waters, a miraculous picture. So it happened. The fame of the miracle spread everywhere, and within 7 years the church was built, inaugurated as early as 1435 by the bishop of Padua.
Curiosities
If you have to wait for the processions on set dates, there is a small event you can enjoy every day. At 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. there is a concert of the sanctuary's five bells, which ring out to draw the faithful for about five minutes.
Source of the miraculous water
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