Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii

Today the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii is a destination for religious pilgrimages, but also for many tourists fascinated by its majesty. Every year over four million people visit the sanctuary which is therefore among the most visited in Italy. In particular, on 8 May and the first Sunday of October, tens of thousands of pilgrims come to the city of Pompeii, to witness the devotions to the Madonna of Pompeii.

The History of the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii

The history of the sanctuary is linked to the blessed Bartolo Longo, its founder, and of the Countess Marianna de Fusco, with whom he shared his life at the service of the neediest. The sanctuary was built with the spontaneous offerings of the faithful from all over the world. Its construction began on May 8, 1876, with the collection of the offer of “one penny a month”. Antonio Cua, a professor at the University of Naples, who directed the construction of the rustic part for free. Giovanni Rispoli later took care of the decoration and the monumental façade inaugurated in 1901.

The sanctuary was consecrated to the pontifical sanctuary by Pope Leo XIII on May 4, 1901. A Latin cross, initially had only one nave, with apse, dome, four side chapels. On each side of the sanctuary there were two other chapels with separate entrances, but intercommunicating with the central nave: on the left, the chapel of Santa Caterina da Siena, where the painting of the Madonna was initially exhibited during the construction of the sanctuary; on the right, the chapel of the SS. Salvatore. In 1925 the 88-meter tall bell tower was completed.

With time and the considerable increase of the crowds of believers, it was necessary to expand the sanctuary. This expansion was carried out from 1934 to 1938, on a project by Chiappetta. The sanctuary thus had three naves (the central one was not modified), apse and dome of greater dimensions. The exterior was covered in harmony with the monumental façade, making it acquire the appearance of a large Roman Basilica. In the following years, the sanctuary survived very demanding tests such as the eruption of Vesuvius in 1944 and the arrival of the Nazi troops who came to threaten its destruction.

It was a destination for pilgrimages by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 1979 and on 7 October 2003; by Pope Benedict XVI on October 19, 2008, and by Pope Francis on March 21, 2015. On November 11, 1962, in the square in front of the sanctuary was placed the monument to Bartolo Longo, the work of the sculptor Domenico Ponzi.

The icon of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii

The icon of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii (120 cm high and wide 100 cm) shows the image of the Madonna enthroned with Jesus in her arms; to his feet, Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena. The Virgin carries in her left hand the rosary which she hands it to Saint Catherine, while Jesus, resting on her right leg, hands it to Saint Dominic. In this context, we can recognize three large spaces. The space at the top, in which the humble figure of Mary enthroned invites the Church to move towards the mystery of Trinity. Space below is that of the Church, the mystical body, the family who has the head in Jesus, his bond in the Spirit, in Mary their mother.

The lateral space, represented by the arches, leads to the world, to history, towards which the Church has the debt of being “sacrament”, offering the service of the evangelical proclamation. The way that unites these spaces is the Rosary, a prayerful synthesis of the writing, placed almost as a foundation at the foot of the throne, and delivered by the Son and from the Mother as a way of meditation and assimilation of the Mystery.
This icon was given to Bartolo Longo by Sister Maria Concetta De Litala, of the Convent of Rosariello at Porta Medina of Naples.

Bartolo Longo

Bartolo Longo was born on February 10, 1841 in Latiano (BR). In 1863 he arrived in Naples to complete the Jurisprudence studies. Through friends and professors he approached the world of spiritualism, abandoning completely the Catholic faith. Thanks to Professor Vincenzo Pepe, he returned to the street of the good. His conversion was total, he dedicated himself soul and body to religion and charity.

He arrived in 1872, in the Valle di Pompei. he understood his vocation and yes he proposed not to leave the Valle di Pompei without him have spread the cult to the Virgin of the Rosary.

He began by catechizing the peasants; he restructured, then, the small parish church of the Santissimo Salvatore, dating back to the Thousand Year and decided, on council of the Bishop of Nola, to erect a new one church, dedicated to the Madonna del Rosario.

On November 13, 1875, the prodigious image of the Virgin of the Rosary arrived. From Naples, first, and then, slowly, from all over the world, offers for construction began to come for the new church, whose first stone was placed on the 8th May 1876. In 1877 the Longo wrote and divulged the
pious practice of the Fifteen Saturdays, two years later, he recovered himself from a serious illness thanks to the recital of the Novena, composed by him and of which there were, immediately, nine hundred editions, in twenty-two languages.

On the 14th October 1883, twenty thousand pilgrims, gathered in Pompeii, recited, for the first time, the rosary. In 1884 he founded the periodical “The Rosary and the New Pompeii”. Meanwhile, thanks to him, around the construction site of the new church stood a real city with the houses for the workers, the first example of social housing.

in 1891, Cardinal Raffaele Monaco Valletta consecrated the new Temple. On 5 May 1901 the façade of the Basilica was inaugurated, erected with
the contribution of faithful from all over the world and dedicated to Universal Peace. Bartolo Longo died, aa eighty-five years, October 5, 1926. Two years later, thanks to the interest of Brother Adrian of Mary, of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, which continued the work of the lawyer, Pompeii was recognized as a municipality self. The work of Longo had its solemn recognition with the Beatification by John Paul II, which took place on October 26, 1980.

Our Lady of Pompeii Prayer 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice
and the abyss trembles. O Glorious Queen of the Rosary, we, your devoted children, assembled (on
this solemn day*) in your Temple of Pompeii, pour out the affection of our hearts and with filial
confidence express our miseries to You.

From the Throne of clemency on which You are seated as Queen, turn, O Mary, your merciful gaze
on us, on our families, on Italy, on Europe and on the whole world. Have compassion on the
worries and trials which embitter our lives. See, O Mother, how many physical and spiritual
dangers and how many calamities and afflictions press upon us.
O Mother, implore the mercy of your Divine Son for us and conquer the hearts of sinners with your
benevolence. They are our brothers and your children who cause the heart of our sweet Jesus to
bleed and sadden your sensitive Heart. Show us all what You are, the Queen of Peace and of
Pardon.

Hail Mary…

It is true that, although we are your children, with our sins we are the first to crucify Jesus again in
our hearts and pierce your heart anew.

We confess that we deserve the most severe punishments, but remember that on Golgotha You
received, with the Divine Blood, the testament of the dying Saviour, who declared You our Mother,
the Mother of sinners. You then, as our Mother, are our Advocate, our Hope. And we raise our
pleading hands to You with sighs crying, “Mercy!”.

O good Mother, have pity on us, on our souls, on our families, on our relatives, on our friends, on
our deceased, especially on our enemies, and on so many who call themselves Christian and yet
offend the Heart of your loving Son. We implore mercy for today’s misguided Nations, for all
Europe, for the whole world, so that, repentant, they may return to your Heart.
Have mercy on us all, O Mother of Mercy!

Hail Mary…

Deign kindly to hear us, O Mary! Jesus has placed in your hands all the treasures of His Grace and
His Mercy.

You are seated crowned Queen at the right hand of your Son, resplendent with immortal glory
above all Choirs of Angels. You extend your dominion throughout heavens, and earth and all
creatures are subject to You.

You are omnipotent by grace and therefore You can help us. Were You not willing to help us
because we are ungrateful children and undeserving of your protection, we would not know to
whom to turn.

Your Mother’s heart would not allow seeing us, your children, lost. The Infant whom You hold on
your lap and the mystical Rosary which we gaze at your hand, inspire confidence in us that You
shall hear us. We confide totally in You and abandon ourselves to You, like helpless children into
the arms of the tenderest of mothers, and on this very day, we expect from You the longed-for
graces.

Hail Mary…

The Sanctuary is closed from Monday to Friday from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm

Mass times – Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii

Main Altar

• Festive Masses: 6.00 – 7.00 – 8.30 – 10.00 – 11.00 – 12.30 – 16.00 – 17.00 – 19.00 – 20.00
• Weekday Masses: 7.00am – 8.30am – 10.00am – 11.00am – 12.00am – 4.00pm – 5.00pm * – 7.00pm
• * will not be celebrated in July and August

BLESSED BARTOLO LONGO CHAPEL

• Festive Masses: 8.00 – 9.30 – 10.30 – 11.30 – 13.00 – 17.30 – 18.30
• Weekday Masses: 7.30am – 9.30am – 10.30am * – 12.30am – 5.30pm
• * will not be celebrated in July and August

CHAPEL SAN GIUSEPPE MOSCATI

• S. Mass in Ukrainian language: Thursday and Saturday at 4.00 pm; Sundays and public holidays 10.00 am

HOLY FAMILY CHAPEL

• Mass in Polish: Sunday 10.00 (excluding the months of July and August)

Confession times
From 7.00 to 12.30 and from 15.30 to 19.00

Holy Rosary
Main Altar: Every day 9.30 – 15.30 – 18.00
Chapel B. Longo: Every day: 9.00

Source:

• www.santuario.it