This post on “Curious Appellatives of the Virgin Mary” is my translation and condensed version of a fascinating visual / textual essay published by Patrizia Fontana Roca on her website, www.cartantica.it. Among the numberless appellatives of the Virgin Mary, records of Her infinite powers, some are indeed “curious.” Their “curiosity,” Patrizia underscores, can be just fortuitous, the result of an artist’s whim, or of a cultural or political situation. Most “curious” images of the Virgin Mary and their titles are self-explanatory. Others less so, and in need of glossing. With Patrizia’s permission I reproduce here an image of Madonna delle Corna (Madonna with Horns), several images of “Madonna del Soccorso,” one of Madonna del Flagello (Madonna of the Scourge), and the relevant information about them Patrizia provides. Cappella Portinari (Convent of Sant’ Eustorgio, in Milan)...

“I wonder why they always choose him.” This is the question Biagio Gamba poses, tongue in check, about the many and diverse groups of “faithful” who ask for and assign Saint Michael the power to protect them. He points out that Saint Michael is the protector of hosiers, hatters, apothecaries, scale makers, pharmacists, merchants, judges, radiologists, gilders, grocers, parachuters, and state police. So far, so good. But, Gamba reveals, such polar opposites as Fascist black shirts, Italy’s Partisans, and … members of the Mafia organization ‘Ndrangheta, have also turned to him for protection in their fighting and killing missions. (Apparently ‘Ndrangheta mafiosi burn a Saint Michael image during their oath of affiliation.) Gamba’s sardonic comment about why Fascists, Partisans, and Mafiosi should all trust in Saint Michael’s help is that He is also the protector of those who dying ask...

I.Chissà perché scelgono sempre lui. È il protettore dei magliai, dei cappellai, degli speziali, dei costruttori di bilance e degli schermitori, ma anche dei farmacisti, dei commercianti, dei giudici, dei radiologi, dei doratori, dei droghieri, dei paracadutisti e della polizia di stato. È stato anche patrono delle Camicie Nere fasciste e dei Partigiani d’Italia.Forse non tutti sanno che San Michele Arcangelo è anche il protettore di una delle più importanti organizzazioni criminali italiane e, ormai, del mondo: la ‘Ndrangheta. E pochi sicuramente sanno che durante il rito di iniziazione di un nuovo affiliato alla “famiglia” viene bruciato un santino, raffigurante appunto l’Arcangelo.Di questo rito ne hanno parlato importanti giornalisti, come Roberto Saviano, ma anche l’attuale Procuratore della Repubblica di Catanzaro, Nicola Gratteri, da anni in...

Crowned Madonnas / Madonne Incoronate  The coronation of sacred images, of Madonnas in particular, a rite that began around 1500, was performed with special solemn liturgies approved by Capitolo Vaticano. The Benedizionale makes clear that the decision so to honor an image of the Virgin Mary is the responsibility of the diocesan bishop and local community. However such honor is bestowed only on images of the Virgin Mary that have inspired and sustain genuine and widespread devotion. The devotion of Pope Clemens VIII (1592-1605) to the image of Salus Populi Romani, venerated in the Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore, contributed to its coronation. In 1960, the coronation of the Black Madonna of Oropa followed. This rite, subsequently incorporated in Pontificale Romano, was greatly promoted by Count Alessandro Sforza Piacentini who paid for the coronation of a good number of images,...

Madonne Incoronate  Il rito dell’Incoronazione delle immagini sacre, in particolar modo della Madonna in tutti i suoi appellativi, nacque attorno al 1500, e veniva praticato con solennità e liturgie speciali, dopo l’approvazione del Capitolo Vaticano. Il Benedizionale, al numero 2034, precisa che “Spetta al vescovo diocesano, insieme con la comunità locale, giudicare sull’opportunità di incoronare l’immagine della beata Vergine Maria. Si tenga tuttavia presente che è opportuno incoronare soltanto quelle immagini che, essendo oggetto di venerazione per la grande fiducia dei fedeli nella Madre del Signore, godono di una certa notorietà, tanto che il luogo in cui son venerate è diventato sede e centro di genuino culto liturgico e di attivo impegno cristiano”. La devozione di Papa Clemente VIII (1592-1605) per la Salus Populi Romani, presente nella...

The Catholic Church has always used images to indoctrinate and catechize its fold. In the Middle Ages, images of the devil, juxtaposed to images of the Guardian Angel, were produced and distributed to frighten sinners about the consequences of their transgressions. Since the IX century, the devil was represented as a small, deformed, old, or large variation of the human body. To indoctrinate the faithful about its tricks, the devil was represented as a seductive libidinous woman, or as a saint, in which case the deception was visualized through bestial details–horns, hoofs, bat wings, goat ears. (See for example, on this site, the post “Curiosi Appellativi della Madonna” for the legend of “Madonna con le Corna / Madonna with Horns.”) Representations of the devil as an animal or monster were remnants of the pagan imaginary (satyrs, chimeras, harpies, gargoyles) as well as of the...