Madonna dell'Udienza
Madonna dell'Udienza, also known as Maria Santissima dell'Udienza, is a Marian devotion venerated at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Audience in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. The image of the Virgin is a marble statue created by the Renaissance sculptor Antonello Gagini at the beginning of the 16th century. It is carried in procession by the Confraternita Maria SS. dell'Udienza on the afternoon of the third Sunday in May, when it проходит through the main streets of Sambuca di Sicilia's historic center.
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March 2014 © Guzzman85 · CC BY-SA 3.0
June 2020 © Davide Mauro · CC BY-SA 4.0
May 2013 © Guzzman85 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Identification | |
| Title | Madonna dell'Udienza |
| Alternative names | Maria Santissima dell'Udienza; Our Lady of the Audience; Madona dell'Udienza |
| Type | Marble statue |
| Subject | The Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus |
Historical context | |
| Date | Early 16th century |
Creator | |
| Artist | Antonello Gagini |
| Artist period | Renaissance sculptor |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Original location | Brought by a wealthy family from Mazara to Sambuca di Sicilia, to the area of the Cellaro Tower |
| Hidden location | Inside a cavity in the tower's kitchen oven |
| Period hidden | For several years |
| Discovery date | 1575 |
| Discoverer | A farmer from Sambuca di Sicilia |
| Historical context at discovery | Sambuca was suffering from plague |
| Name origin | It was called Madonna dell'Udienza, or Our Lady of the Audience, because it was believed to have heard the prayers of the sick |
Materials | |
| Material | Marble |
Location and ownership | |
| Current location | Inside the apse of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Audience, Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy |
| Associated confraternity | Confraternita Maria SS. dell'Udienza |
| Regional veneration | Venerated throughout Sicily, including Petralia Soprana, Ciminna, Mezzojuso, and Roccamena |
| Replica in Sicily | A replica is kept in Petralia Soprana, where there is also a church dedicated to the Madonna dell'Udienza |
| Ciminna devotion | A 17th-century triptych depicting the miracle is preserved in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Ciminna |
| International devotion | Sicilians brought the devotion to many churches in the United States, including Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri |
History and restoration | |
| Religious procession | The statue is carried in procession through the main streets of the historic center of Sambuca di Sicilia on the afternoon/evening of the third Sunday of May, carried on the shoulders of members of the confraternity on a vara, accompanied by prayers, hymns, folk music, the municipal band, residents, and tourists; it continues until dawn on Monday and ends with fireworks |
| Lowering rite | Before the procession, the Madonna is lowered from the niche where it rests; this rite is called scinnuta di la Madonna or nisciuta di la Madonna |
| Night stops | During the procession, the simulacrum stops under the eleven crowns of Sambuca's districts so the confraternity brothers can rest and watch the fireworks |
| Former procession clothing | Until some years ago, confraternity members wore special garments embroidered with silk and gold |
Significance | |
| Attributed miracle | The statue was credited with curing leprosy |
| Related festival | Annual feast of Maria Santissima dell'Udienza, including Palio dei Quartieri, parades, band concerts, night illuminations, and the Sagra della Minna di virgini |
| Historical horse races | Until 2005, the Palio dell'Udienza included horse races; it is described as one of the oldest palios in Italy and was photographed on 18 May 1913 |