Virgins on the Street Corner

“We come to thee, Mother of God, do not reject our supplications in need, but liberate us from danger, you, our lady, our consolation, our mediator our help.”

A Madonnelle in Campo Di Fiori

Source: PhotoRoma

This prayer, and many others like it, would have been spoken by Roman Christians as they wove their way through the streets (Catholic Encylopedia). On those dark streets, where crime was common, travelers would often have their paths lighted by shrines to the Virgin Mary, built into the walls of buildings lining the street. These shrines were an important show of belief for the Romans towards the veneration of the Virgin Mary. These shrines were devoted solely to the Virgin Mary and are therefore called Madonnelle, or “Little Madonnas”.

Shrines on street corners have existed in Rome long before the Christian faith developed. Ancient Romans revered shrines called “Lares Compitales” to guard their crossroads. These shrines usually consisted of niches in the wall which would hold a male and a female figurine. People left food as gifts for the Lares in return for protection. During the reign of Octavian, the city was split into 265 “vici” or districts. Octavian then declared that each crossroad required a Lares for protection before he changed the image of the Lares to his own. In doing so, he linked their protection with his own divinity. In a magnificent use of propaganda, Augustus linked the power of the emperor not only with divinity but with protection of the people. However, Lares were not the only decorations on buildings at this time. In return for safety of their house or shop, a Roman would paint a representation of their favored God or yellow snakes on their walls. Serpents represent the genius, a protecting spirit, of a place.

Like the Lares, the serpents were usually represented as male and female and given offerings of fruit and eggs. As Rome began to fall and Christianity rose into power, these Lares and Genii gradually disappeared and were replaced by shrines to the Virgin. The protection of the Lares would now be offered by the Virgin. The symbol of the egg would be replaced by the Christ child. The faith of many Gods would be transferred to one God with many facets.

In 1853, a survey, completed by Alessandro Rufini, collected a total count of 2,739 street shrines decorating the streets of Rome. That number has dwindled since due to the reconstruction of the city that occurred during the 1870s. Modern estimations count less than 500 street shrines in the city. This is not the first time the Madonnelles have been challenged due to city reconstruction. In 1480, Pope Sixtus IV, born Della Rovere, decreed that the streets of Rome should be widened. The bull stated that any porticoes hindering this construction were to be removed. Many of these porticoes featured Roman Madonnelle.

These constructions hint at a key element of the Madonnelle. Sixtus’ Bull, which led to the removal of many shrines, shows that the Church largely disregarded these shrines in Rome in their beginnings. However, in contrasting attitude, by 1450, a local patrician in Venice would be given the responsibility to watch over the images. The shrines began as a movement of the people, ignored by the Church. Due to both constructions, one by the city and one by the papacy, most street shrines are from the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century. During this time the Madonnelle began to perform miracles, adding yet another reason to their sudden diffusion.

During the 17^th century both the Catholic Church and the city of Rome had weak public support. The Reformation had begun to make people question the authority of the Papacy. The Papacy itself was weakened by the Great Schism as men fought over the title of Pope. Finally, the city had been in the grasp of plagues, potentially due to the common flooding of the Tiber. It was during this time that the Madonnelle began to work miracles.

One of the first known miracles attributed to an icon of the Virgin took place in 590. Rome was gripped by a terrible plague. In their frustration and desperation the people of Rome began to march, carrying an image of the Virgin with them. On their way from Saint Mary Major to Saint Peter’s Basilica, an angel appeared on what was once called Hadrian’s Mausoleum. The angel sheathed his sword, signaling that the illness had ended. This building is now known as Castel Sant’Angelo. The Virgin that the people took through the streets acquired a new name as well: Salus Populi Romani, the Salvation of the People of Rome. This miracle encouraged people to place reproductions of that Mary on the front of their houses in thanks.

An image of the Salus Populi Romani

Source: Patriarcale Basilica Papale Di Santa Maria Maggiore - Roma

Another documented miracle occurred in 1577 on Tiber Island. This street shrine, now known as “Madonna of the Lantern,” was situated on the outside wall of a church. When the Tiber flooded the island, as it was prone to do, the entire island was submerged under water. The miracle occurred there, underwater, as the lamp lighting the Madonna continued to burn bright.

There are many other Mary miracles but they tend to fit three patterns: weeping, bleeding and those with moving eyes. The first is the Weeping Madonnelle. One miracle starts with two men fighting in front of a street shrine. When one man sheathed his weapon due to the presence of the virgin, signaling an end to the fight, his enemy killed him. That image is now known as Santa Maria del Painto, Saint Mary of the Weeping, due to the tears she shed. However, bringing a Virgin to tears would inspire the wrath of her people. This showed Mary as a vengeful figure as well. A soldier once made a Madonnelle weep by disfiguring her image. In order to avenge their protector, the people killed the soldier. It is interesting to note the subtle undertones of propaganda in this miracle. The soldier is a symbol of the power of Rome, which was often struggling with the power of the Church. In this story it is clear that the protection of the Church is more valued to the people than the protection of Rome.

The second type of miracle is that of the Bleeding Madonnelle. The most famous of these Madonnelle is known as the Madonna Della Pace. The miracle occurred when a gambler who was angry with his losses struck the image and the Madonna begun to bleed. This miracle caught the attention of Pope Sixtus IV who dedicated a church to the image in 1480; the same year he issued the bull to widen the streets even at the cost of the Madonnelle. These moves were typical attempts by the Church to gain power while pleasing the people.

Inside Chiesa Santa Maria Della Pace: The Original Shrine

Source: Heather Kraft

The third types of miracles are the Madonnelles with Wandering Eyes. In these circumstances, the eyes of the Madonnelles would move, vertically or horizontally, to a different position. Many were so convinced of these miracles that they climbed ladders to measure the distance the eyes had moved. Unlike the first two categories of Madonnelle, these were considered bad omens. The movement of the eyes was attributed to the Virgin noticing the French army Napoleon had gathered outside of Rome. This bad omen proved true in 1809, when Napoleon officially decreed his annexation of the Papal States.

Other miracles varied from Madonnelle that paralyzed abusers to those that made dried flowers bloom again. Such miracles gave the Madonnelle the recognition of the Church. Madonnelles who have performed miracles were often moved into churches, as is the case with Maria della Pace. The people devoted “ex votos” to shrines that were not moved. “Ex votos” are metal plaques or gifts that are placed with the shrine. Often times these gifts take the shape of a heart or a crown. However, they also replicate what the Virgin miraculously healed. One example is a pair of eyes in a shrine near Campo di Fiori. These miracles, the approval of the Church and the growing Cult of the Virgin led to a mass diffusion and growth of street shrines along Rome.

Shrine near Campo di Fiori with “ex votos”

Source: PhotoRoma

Similar appearances mark the shrines as Madonnelle. They tend to separate the first floor of a building from a second floor. Most are positioned on the corner of a building, but many are displayed on a wall facing a road or piazza. Unfortunately, many of the artists of these wonderful Madonnelle have been lost in time so we rarely know who to attribute the work to. Even worse, some have been destroyed or stolen throughout the years and replaced with copies or different images. However, mystery only serves to add to the collage of Madonnelles.

An example of a stolen Madonnelle, replaced with a different image

Source: Heather Kraft

No two Madonnelle have the same image. All have some representation of the Virgin; some are limited to her face, others show her entire body in rapture. Others have her holding her son, the Christ child. In all of these the Mary has peace in her face, which radiates out to those she is protecting.

The medium she is portrayed in also changes. Originally, these Mary shrines were called “Edicole Sacre.” Edicole refers to the glass or dome that protects the shrine. In many shrines, this glass has become dirty with urban pollution. Fortunately, glass cleaning for the Madonnelles was included in the citywide cleaning for the 2000 Jubilee. Glass only covers a portion of the shrines – those that contain art or fresco and need protecting. Not all shrines are made of the same medium and many are mosaic because it is long-lasting and weatherproof. This is also the argument made for many stone, wood, terracotta and ceramic shrines. Many of these shrines also have the appeasing aspect of being three dimensional, allowing the Virgin to be accessible to the viewer.

Some Madonnelles have elaborate frames that are built around the image of the Virgin. Most of these are elaborate stone carvings that surround the Virgin. Rays of light are commonly portrayed as are putti, or baby angels. Occasionally the patron is built into the frame, if not already featured in the image. Often times these frames overwhelm the image of the Virgin.

A shrine featuring a patron: S. Filippo Neri

Source: PhotoRoma

Two other important features helped define their function: a lantern and a shelf. The lanterns on these street shrines were the only street lighting until well into the 19^th century. In A Day in a Medieval City by Chiara Frugoni, she states, “at night the only flames left burning are the candles before the holy images” (Frugoni, 6). These lights would have been a relief for a traveler wary of the violence of night. Secondly, the shelf symbolizes the religious importance of the Virgin. If the Madonnelle had a shelf, people would leave gifts of flowers, trinkets or candles to show their reverence towards the Virgin.

In a sense, the Madonnelle balanced out the power struggle of emperor versus papacy. While she was a religious figure that encouraged prayer and good behavior in her presence, the Madonnelle also lit dark streets, hopefully to deter crime or make citizens feel more comfortable at night.

A few Madonnelle have an extra purpose: a site for mourning. Some shrines mark the place where a child had died or an accident had occurred. A plaque may mark one of these special Madonnelles. Edward Muir argues that all Madonnelle were made for reverence of not only the Virgin but of the dead. In his article “The Virgin on the Street Corner: The Place of the Sacred in Italian Cities,” he writes that the shrines, “reminded the living of their daily obligations to pray for the dead.”

The grandest function of the Madonnelle was to offer “immediate and personal intimacy with the saint” (Muir). This was important in the Catholic religion which is based heavily on intermediaries. Usually, to connect with God or a saint, a person would have to go to church and talk to a priest. These were the people whom God chose to speak through. Street shrines allowed a person an intimate link to their religion. It in this way, a private link with the Virgin, that people could personally venerate Mary.

Veneration of the Virgin Mary became officially approved by the Catholic Church after the Council of Ephesus in 431. During the early years the Church was struggling to define their religion and dispel any heresies. One of these questions was the idea of worship or more specifically, who to worship. While reverence towards the Virgin was dogmatized at that council, it took Thomas Aquinas’ specifications of it’s limitations in 1270 to gain the Church’s acceptance. Worship was directed towards three figures: God, the Virgin and Saints. Latria is reserved for God; he is the only one who can receive “adoration.” Saints can receive dulia, which is a lesser form of reverence. The Virgin Mary was given her own category, labeled “hyperdulia,” which encouraged the growth of the Cult of the Virgin.

A shrine in Piazza del Biscione

Source: PhotoRoma

The Church began to worry that this Cult was growing out of hand. The people began to develop intimate relationships with the Virgin. Church leaders worried that these holy relationships were meant solely between the priest and God. Church officials worried that these grassroots movements, of the Cult of the Virgin, might undermine the relationship and adoration towards God. Fortunately, as the Madonnelle began to perform miracles, the Church was able to manipulate them to propagate their own cause.

Madonnelle that performed miracles were removed from the street by the Church. From that point a replacement might have been put up to replace the holy original, but the original icon would be placed in a church. In some cases, the church would have been renamed to honor the icon of the Mary it held, as is the case of Chiesa Santa Maria della Pace. This allowed the Church to bring the Cult back into the buildings. Most importantly, it gave the Church the ability to monitor and manipulate the otherwise unchecked relationships of the people and the Virgin. From that point on, the Cult of the Virgin was absorbed into the Church as a piece of propaganda. The veneration of the Virgin had been accepted by the Church long ago and popes continued to praise that an understanding of the Virgin was necessary to understand and appreciate Christ.

Walking the cobblestone streets of Rome, one may hardly even notice the peaceful face of the Virgin looking down at them on so many street corners. However, this motif of a protector on the street is as almost as old as the city itself. Madonnelle, like the Lares before them, were placed to protect the people and it is from the people that they developed. Leaders were quick to manipulate these images as they saw the power such protectors held over the people. Those in power realized that “The goal of the public use of space, to be perhaps too crudely simple, was to influence the loyalties and obligations of individuals” (Muir). The Madonnelle succinctly achieved that goal.

Image of Madonna and Child

Source: Heather Kraft

Madonnelle are still relevant to the people of Rome. While not all people notice them, Madonnelles do draw the glances of wandering travelers or returning friends who have come to offer their regards. Many are placed in pivotal points to capture the attention of pilgrims. The Founder of Opus Dei was recorded as admitting, “This morning I backtracked just like a little boy, to greet our Lady... I had forgotten to greet her. What little boy misses a chance to tell his mother he loves her? My Lady, may I never become an ex-child” ("Little Shrines to Our Lady"). Street shrines continue to fulfill their intentions; promote good behavior and encourage reflection on religion. The little Madonnas dot the city to remind everyone of the rich history of Rome, from their ancient roots to their modern designs.

Madonnelle appear peaceful but their history marks years of feuds: the feud between ancient and modern, the struggle for power between the city and the papacy and the manipulation of the Church over the people. Even though Madonnelle are entrenched in so many worlds and so many power struggles, they continue to peacefully protect the city. While their history may appear hostile, they guard the people of Rome. Hopefully they will continue to do so for many centuries to come.

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