The sanctuary of the Madonna del Gonfalone was built in 1508 outside the city walls of Valmontone, in Prato della Madonna, with the title of Sancta Maria Nova extra Muros.
In 1738 the sanctuary was restored and renovated by the architect Gabriele Valvassori, who completely redesigned it, leaving only the entrance portal and the apse area of the original church.
The building was severely damaged during the bombings of 1944, and restored in the 1950s.
The miracle of the Madonna del Gonfalone
At the beginning of the 16th century a farmer intent on hoeing his field near the village, in Prato della Madonna, suddenly heard a voice saying to him: “Stop, stop!”.
He immediately stopped and started cleaning that boulder that he discovered had painted the image of the Virgin that he had involuntarily scarred with her hoe.
A second miracle occurred in 1738, during the restoration of the Church of the Gonfalone. At one point, a large beam from the scaffolding of the vault came off and fell on a worker who was carrying lime. The two were left unharmed by the intercession of the Holy Virgin del Gonfalone.
Also during the restoration, on Sunday 8 March 1739 at 4 pm the floor of the church had to be raised and the image of the Holy Mary with the Child in her arms had to be sawed. The workers chiseled the boulder which suddenly rises into the air and placed itself in the position we see it today.
Follow us