Santuario della Consolazione

CONVENT OF MARIA SS. OF THE CONSOLATION Founded at the end of the 15th century by Blessed Felice da Corsano and some of his brothers, in the Valle woods in Vincolis, about 5 km from the town, with the contribution of the Marquis Piccolomini, it was subsequently expanded by the various orders that took place in the time. Immersed in nature, it rises solitary and majestic, steeped in history and shrouded in mystery and spirituality, "place of Saints" which includes among all: Sant'Alfonso Maria de'Liguori (1744-1747), who composed the most famous pastoral here in the world "You come down from the stars"; St. Gerard Majella (1749-1754) who lived here 5 of the 6 years of religious life, making it "the world gerardino cradle" and "one huge open-air museum gerardino." The church dating back to the '400, was enlarged by the Redemptorists of St. Alphonsus as evidenced by the inscription "S.M. Consolationis 1755 "and preserves an immense artistic and religious heritage. In fact, inside it is preserved: a striking statue of St. Alphonsus beginning '900 from the furrowed brow and deep eyes and inquisitive, which was blessed by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on 05.04.1983; the paintings of the "SS. Redentore ”, the“ Madonna delle Grazie ”,“ San Michele Arcangelo ”,“ Santa Maria Maddalena penitente ”; two paintings by the artist Domenico Caso of Foggia of the end of 1700 representing St. Alphonsus kneeling before the Holy Sacramento and the other St. Joseph with the child in his arms; two large canvases by artist Domenico Caso from the end of the 1700s, representing "The Last Supper" and "The Nativity", the last of which was inspired by the painting "Adoration of the Shepherds", painted by St. Alphonsus to the Consolation and then gone lost; two statues, of ancient Neapolitan school, depicting the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul; the bells played by S. Gerardo (XVI century). In Ultimate Consolation preserves priceless treasures: the original half bust in "Ecce Homo" paper hand-modeled by San Gerardo Maiella during his stay, from which the Redemptorists obtained a plaster copy kept at the Shrine of Materdomini (AV) where the Saint is buried; the evocative sculpture by the Dutch artist Toon Grassen (who studied the Shroud and the writings of the Italian mystic Maria Valtorta to make the work), "Jesus crucified" depicted a few moments before dying with suffering eyes, composed of a cross of three meters with original wood from the Holy Land, the body is made of a special rubber that looks like leather with real hair and nails, attached one by one; the sacred "Table of the Madonna of Consolation" (15th century) painted by Beato Felice, which is set in the center of a majestic marble stucco throne, surmounted at the top by the emblem of the P. Redemptorists. Beyond the works, the entire structure is a work of art that creates attraction and fascination. In fact to the right of the entrance opens the ancient sacristy of the Redemptorist Fathers, transformed only recently (1984) in the chapel of San Gerardo to give the Saint a worthy place of worship in the place where he lived and worked most. On the floor of the church two large slabs of stone can be seen, the entrance to the sepulcher where the remains of about 40 Redemptorists are found, who died in the odor of sanctity, including P. Antonio Tannoia (1727-1808). In this "pit," there is a mystical figure of great interest, a skull that sweats ... Returning to the church, a small tombstone with a Latin inscription is visible on the ground, it is nothing but the sepulcher of the benefactor Gian Giacomo Casati, which great friend of St. Alphonsus wanted to leave all his possessions to the Convent of Consolation. Behind the altar there is a hollow where S. Gerardo huddled to be closer to the SS. Sacrament during sleepless nights of prayer. From the sacristy you go up to the upper floor, through a narrow staircase, and arrive in a large baroque hall, the "Room of St. Alphonsus", the one in which the Saint lived and where he wrote his "Theologia moralis".