10 December: Our Lady of Loreto
The place where Mary said her “yes”
There is a House that is more important than others, a House whose walls witnessed the Annunciation and Mary’s complete openness to God’s will. According to tradition, this House is in Loreto, in the Marian Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto.
The Holy House is not just a place with historic and religious significance, but also a powerful symbol of faith, family and hope. Because it is the place where the Virgin Mary was born and lived, it is a spiritual refuge for families seeking comfort and support for life’s difficulties.
According to tradition, the Holy House of Nazareth was transported to Loreto by angels. Another historical explanation suggests that in 1291, when the Muslims expelled the crusaders from the Holy Land, some Christians were able to save Our Lady’s House, and brought it to Illyria, where the Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat was later built. Between 9 and 10 December 1294, the House was moved to the ancient Municipality of Recanati. It was first placed near the port and then moved to a hill on a public street, where it remains to this day.
Both tradition and the archaeological and philological studies suggest that there was a divine or “angelic” intervention in this extraordinary transportation. The event has great historical and spiritual significance and is celebrated as a miracle by Christians.
The Holy House is located inside a Basilica built between 1469 and 1587, and is the centre of the Shrine of Loreto. It is made of three walls, which according to an ancient and authoritative tradition, are the front part of the Grotto of Nazareth, the place where Our Lady was born, lived and received the Annunciation.
It is a place that has enormous historical and spiritual significance for the faithful, a direct link to the life of Our lady and a central point of devotion and pilgrimage.
Archaeological excavations have revealed that the three walls of the Holy House match perfectly with the perimeter of the Grotto of Nazareth, which is the remainder of Mary’s house. Moreover, the stones used to build the Holy House are not from Recanati, but are typical of buildings in Palestine at the time of Christ. These aspects corroborate the authenticity of the relic and strengthen its historical and spiritual significance.
These details adds a further level of depth to faith and the devotion that surround the Holy House, making it an important pilgrimage site for the faithful of the world.
Our Lady of Loreto, who was proclaimed Universal Patron Saint of air travellers, on 24 March 1920 by Pope Benedict XV, has a special affinity with civil and military aviation. In 2020, during the Lauretan Jubilee proclaimed by Pope Francis, the centenary of this proclamation was commemorated, further strengthening this special relationship.