Santa Maria ad Nives: A Journey into Faentine Devotion

A journey into the heart of Faenza, within the walls of a church that bears the weight and glory of centuries of history and faith. The Church of Santa Maria ad Nives, also known as Santa Maria Vecchia (Old St. Mary’s), is a place where popular piety and art intertwine in an extraordinary narrative, begun in the early Middle Ages and reaching us through miraculous events, solemn transfers, and a devotion that has never faded.

History and Origins of the Sanctuary

The roots of this sacred place sink into a distant time, in the 8th century. According to a deep-rooted local tradition cherished by the people of Faenza, in the year 745, a fresco depicting the Virgin with Angels miraculously appeared on the wall of the church then called Santa Maria foris portam (St. Mary Outside the Gate).

The particularity that fueled devotion for centuries is the believed supernatural origin of the work: it was indeed thought that the image had been painted by an angelic hand (ab Angelo picta). From this extraordinary event, the title by which the Madonna is venerated was born: Beata Vergine dall’Angelo (Blessed Virgin of the Angel).

In the decades spanning the 1400s and 1500s, to better safeguard and honor the ancient fresco, it was decided to create a copy on a wooden panel. This work, which faithfully reproduces the miraculous iconography, is traditionally attributed to the painter Sigismondo Foschi and itself became an object of intense veneration.

A Troubled and Glorious Historical Journey

The history of the sacred image is a tale of moves, closures, and returns, mirroring the political and religious events of the city.

• **1777: The Solemn Translation**. In an event of great importance for the community, the Cistercian monks transferred the venerated image in a solemn procession to the **Church of the Gesù**, which had belonged to the Jesuits. From that moment, the church changed its name to **Santa Maria dall’Angelo**. The icon found a worthy placement in the aedicule of the monumental high altar, a work by Borromini. At the foot of the image, reproductions of weapons and battle trophies testify to the faith of the people of Faenza, who even in the darkest moments of history invoked peace with the biblical phrase: *”Fiat pax in virtute tua”* (Let there be peace in your strength).

• **1865: The Closure and Confiscation**. In a period of tensions between State and Church, the church was closed for worship and the sacred image was **confiscated and deposited in the city’s art gallery**, a severe blow to popular devotion.

• **1874: The Return and Rebirth**. Finally, after nine years, the church was reopened and the image returned. The solemn feast was set for **August 15th**, the day of the Assumption of Mary, to underline the connection with the Marian dogma.

• **1951: A Procession of Thanksgiving**. As a sign of gratitude for the proclamation of the dogma of the Assumption, the image was carried in procession to its **ancient home of Santa Maria foris portam**, in an ideal embrace between past and present.

• **1978: The Care of Art**. The image, guardian of centuries of prayers, underwent a careful **restoration** by the Superintendency for Artistic Heritage of Bologna, to ensure its preservation for future generations.

The Confraternity and Organized Devotion

The cult of the Madonna of the Angel was safeguarded and promoted for centuries by the Compagnia di Santa Maria degli Angeli (also known as dell’Angelo or dall’Angelo). Founded in the first half of the 16th century and based precisely in Santa Maria foris portam, it had the specific task of presiding over the cult of the image. It is very likely that the panel attributed to Sigismondo Foschi was commissioned by this very confraternity.

The confraternity members, recognizable by their white capes, managed revenues and assets for the sustenance of the company. Their history was also marked by a tragedy: a fire at the beginning of the 1500s destroyed their headquarters along with all documents. After rebuilding a new oratory in 1524, the confraternity continued its work, eventually also having an affiliated women’s company.

The connection with the Jesuits and Cistercians was sanctioned by a brief from Pope Pius VI in November 1777, which decreed the transfer of the monks and assigned new premises within the Jesuit college to the confraternity, following the relocation of the image.

How to Visit and Experience the Sanctuary

Visiting the Church of Santa Maria ad Nives means undertaking a pilgrimage into the artistic and spiritual history of Faenza. The place invites contemplation of the venerated image, the discovery of traces left by Borromini, and reflection on the vicissitudes that have marked this corner of faith.

The main feast is celebrated on August 15th, the day of the Assumption of Mary, a date rich in meaning for the community after the return of the image in 1874. It is the ideal time to immerse oneself in the popular devotion of Faenza.

For art and history enthusiasts, the church represents a fundamental stop to understand the evolution of Marian worship in the city of ceramics, a cult that has survived suppressions, confiscations, and fires, remaining steadfast in the hearts of the faithful.