Madonna dei Monti, Rome, Italy

In April 1579 some workers tearing down a barn wall heard a voice asking them not to hurt the child; astonished, they worked carefully, and uncovered a beautiful fresco of the Madonna and Child, a relic of the time when the place had been a convent of Poor Clares. As news of the discovery spread through Rome, many people came to admire the image. In 1580, a blind woman named Anastasia regained her sight while praying before it. The miracle convinced Pope Gregory XIII to authorize construction of a new church there. Designed by Giacomo della Porta, this became the church of Madonna dei Monti, in the central district that occupies three of Rome's seven hills. Installed on the high altar in a magnificent setting, the image was crowned September 3, 1632. A replica processes through the streets every year on April 26. (Picture from www.immaginidimaria.it.)