italian chapel

Italian-American Bishops Launch Drive for Shrine’s New Chapel

Special to the HERALD
(From the Issue of 3/22/07)

WASHINGTON – The American bishops of Italian descent, under the leadership of Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, former archbishop of Philadelphia, have personally donated over $40,000 of their own money to initiate a fundraising campaign to raise $2 million for the construction of a new Italian chapel at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., in honor of Our Lady of Pompei.
In addition to Cardinal Bevilacqua, other bishops leading the fundraising campaign include Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Wilmington Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli, and New York Auxiliary Bishop Robert A. Brucato.
The chapel, to be known as the Oratory of Our Lady of Pompei, will recognize the deep devotion that the Italian-American community and others have for the Blessed Mother. It will be prominently located in the Shrine’s West Narthex, where hundreds of thousands of visitors enter the Basilica.
The chapel’s main feature will be a mosaic inspired by an original oil painting in the Marian shrine at Pompei, Italy, which depicts Our Lady and the Christ Child offering the rosary to Saints Dominic and Catherine. Also adorning the chapel walls will be the Mysteries of Light, added to the rosary by Pope John Paul II in 2002. This will be the first time the Mysteries of Light will be represented within the walls of the Basilica.
Devotion to Our Lady of Pompei traces its roots to Blessed Bartolo Longo, a 19th-century Italian who was converted to Christianity through the teaching of a Dominican friar, Father Alberto Radente. Bartolo had a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother and to the rosary.
In 1872, Bartolo arrived in the Valle di Pompei, an area near the ancient ruins of Pompeii. One evening, while walking through the fields, he had a profound mystical experience. He later wrote, “As I pondered over my condition, I experienced a deep sense of despair and almost committed suicide. Then I heard an echo in my ear of the voice of Friar Alberto repeating the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary: ‘If you seek salvation, promulgate the Rosary. This is Mary's own promise.’ These words illumined my soul. I went on my knees: ‘If it is true ... I will not leave this valley until I have propagated your rosary.’”
Bartolo began rebuilding Pompei’s old church and started a search for a portrait of the Blessed Virgin before which the Rosary could be recited. The only portrait he could acquire was given to him by a nun at a nearby convent. Although the portrait was in very poor condition, Bartolo accepted it at her urging: “Take it with you; you will see the Blessed Virgin Mother will use this painting to work many miracles.”
Bartolo undertook the first of many restorations of the painting, and placed it in the rebuilt church. Over the years, many miracles have been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Pompei. Between 1876 and 1883, the current Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary was constructed in Pompei.
Bartolo Longo was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 26, 1980.
The bishops of Italian descent are asking the faithful to consider participating in the addition of this new chapel to “America’s Catholic Church.” The goal is to raise $2 million to fully fund the construction and completion of the oratory by fall 2007. Contributions can be made to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave., NE, Washington, D.C. 20017. To ensure that donations are credited toward this project, "Italian Chapel" should be written on the memo line of check.