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Here
follows a brief history of the picture of our Lady of Trust.
The first picture of
Our Lady of Confidence was painted by the great Italian painter
Carlo Maratta (1625-1713) who was knighted by Pope Clement XI in
1704 and was made court painter by Louis XIV the same year.
Maratta gave the picture to a noblewoman, Claire Isabella
Fornari (June 25, 1697- December 9, 1744), who was the abbess of
the Convent of Poor Claire of St. Francis in the city of Todi.
The Abbess – today the Venerable Sister Claire Isabel – embraced
a life of severe penance and was favored with many mystical
graces. She had a great devotion to sacred images, especially
those of Mary. She treasured the picture Maratta gave her and
meditated on it during her prayer time. Our Lady promised
Sister Claire that she would give special graces to all those
who would venerate the image of our Lady of Trust throughout the
ages. “My Heavenly Mother assured me,” said the Abbess,
“that she would give a special tenderness and devotion toward
her to everyone who contemplated this image” (the original
and copies).
Sister Claire advised her spiritual director, Father Gazali, to
take the picture with him whenever he traveled. Father Gazali
always found a great sense of peace and consolation from it. He
kept the picture until his death on July 29, 1762. Then his
possessions, including the image, were given to the Sisters of
the Monastery of St. Francis of Todi where they are today.
In
the Major Seminary in Rome, there is an identical picture of our
Lady of Confidence. How can this be? Sister Claire had another
spiritual advisor, Father Crivelli, who was the spiritual
director of the German College in Rome. While visiting Foligno,
Father Crivelli became seriously sick, but was suddenly healed
as soon as Sister sent him the original painting. He was so
moved by this healing that he wanted a copy of the image which
he took to Rome and then to the local seminary. From this
simple beginning the devotion spread so that by the 1830’s Our
Lady of Trust had become the patroness of the Major Seminary in
Rome.
Our
Lay of Trust protected the seminarians in times of crisis. In
fact in 1837, the scourge of Asiatic flu claimed many lives.
The seminarians and their families were put under the protection
of Mary; not one of them contracted the disease! In
thanksgiving, two crowns were fashioned in gold and placed on
the images of Mary and the Child Jesus.
During World War I, more than 100 seminarians were forced into
the Italian military. The seminarians placed themselves under
the special care of Mary of Trust. They all returned home
safely. To repay the goodness of their Queen, the seminarians
put diadems on the crowns of Mother and Child! In the seminary
today the Feast of Our Lady of Trust is celebrated on the
Saturday before Ash Wednesday. |
Our Lady of TrustBrief History of the
picture of Our Lady of Trust
Mary's love for God and for us
Feast of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary Trust
Prayer to Our Lady of Trust
Servant of God Bishop Giaquinta's
devotion to Mary, Mother of God and our Mother
Veneration to Mary of Trust
becomes veneration of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary of Trust |
