The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love

Via del Santuario(via Ardeatina Km 12)
00134 ROMA
ITALY
Tel. 0039 6 71353302-3
fax. 0039 6 71353304
c/c Postale nº 721001

Orphanage Divino Amore
c/c Postale nº 69438000

Historical Notes on the Sanctuary The historical events of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love started in the 12th century, when in that area of the Roman countryside there stood a kind of a fortress owned by the Savello-Orsini Family, which was called "Castel di Leva". On one of the castle's towers there was an image of the Holy Virgin Mary sitting on a throne, holding the Child Jesus in her arms, with a dove descending upon her, as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, Who is Divine Love. The image, painted in fresco in that same period, was much venerated by the local shepherds.

The First Miracle In the spring of 1740 a traveller that was going to Rome, as he reached the neighbourhood of the tower, was attacked by a pack of dogs and was about to be torn to pieces. The poor man raised his eyes towards the sacred image and asked the Mother of God for help. There followed a miracle. All of a sudden the dogs scattered , fleeing through the countryside.

The Salvation of Rome In 1944 Rome was in danger of destruction by the events of the war. On January 24th the painting of the Holy Virgin Mary was carried to various churches in the city and finally to the Church of Saint Ignatius, where, on the 4th of June 1944 the Roman people, in order to obtain the liberation of Rome, made a vow to renew their life, to build a new sanctuary and to perform an act of charity in her honour. Our Lady worked the miracle and Rome was saved. On the 11th of June 1944 Pope Pius XII went to pray with the people of Rome and conferred on Our Lady of Divine Love the title of "Saviour of City".

The new Sanctuary On the 19th of February 1991 permission to build a new sanctuary was granted. It will have a lawn for a roof, a stretch of water in the church-square, large stained glass windows which will shed a mystic light on the whole place. The building is under construction at the foot of the hill, outside the ancient walls without spoiling the beauty of the Roman countryside and the monumental complex of the eighteenth century.

Nightly pilgrimage on Foot Each Saturday, from Easter Sunday till the end of October, there takes place a nightly pilgrimage on foot, which leaves at midnight from Rome, Porta Capena Square, and arrives at the sanctuary at five o'clock on Sunday morning. A nightly pilgrimage also takes place on December 7th, the vigil of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The nightly pilgrims walk along the famous ancient Appian Way, as far as the church of Quo Vadis. They then take the Ardeatina Way, proceed beyond the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus and pass in front of the "Fosse Ardeatine" Memorial. They present to Our Lady their own intentions, and also the needs, the hopes and the mission of the Church of Rome and of the Eternal City.