It refers to the construction of the church.
Description: A wall painting dating back to the early 18th century by an unknown local artist, depicting the Madonna holding Jesus. On either side of the Madonna are St. Francis and St. Agnes.
Date of use: Between 1700 and 1748
Image: Painting
Original location of the Sanctuary: Many silver ex-votos were placed near the miraculous image. Ancient chronicles also mention cloths in which a bit of the plaster from the miraculous image was placed. Once the miracle was granted, the cloth was left over the image (only the face of the image remained uncovered).
Types of ex-votos: Jewelry items, Others
Current preservation: Two rows of small silver metal hearts are placed on either side of the miraculous image.
Accounts of miracles can be found in some manuscripts by Father Enrico Bondi, kept in the library of S. Filippo Neri.
The testimony refers to the existence of the fresco in a shrine erected on the grounds of the Monastery of Santa Agnese. Its abandonment was caused by destruction followed by seven years of desecration.
Preserved at the BAP (ms. 1907 – ecclesiastical records of Perugia). The history of the construction, intertwined with legend, tells that Giorgio Agostini, a carpenter for the Poor Clares of Sant’Agnese, who held this sacred image in great veneration, one day saw the Madonna appear to him, torn and corroded. This was the spark that led to the idea of creating a more dignified setting for the miraculous image.
The Madonna dei Cenciarelli is also invoked as the Queen of Graces, Our Mother.
According to the Ecclesiastical Records of Perugia, the church suffered two major thefts in 1800-1801. In the first, everything was stolen, including the votive offerings. In 1866, after the church was rebuilt following its collapse, the image was restored by Ildegrando Benucci, and two silver-plated metal crowns were placed on the heads of the Virgin and Child (an early 19th-century copperplate print shows different crowns on the two figures). During this time, a bell gable was also erected. In 1888, a new altar was built based on a design by engineer Alceste Ricci. Other restorations were documented in 1912, 1953, and 1998 when the roof was redone; however, the damage from time and earthquakes is still clearly visible.
**Indulgences:**
– September 30, 1754: Plenary indulgence granted by Benedict XIV and a 40-day indulgence for those who recite the Hail Mary before the sacred image.
– August 16, 1912: Cardinal Giovanni Beda grants indulgences for the souls in Purgatory after the recitation of a solemn prayer.
The shrine with the image was likely erected by the Poor Clares themselves on land belonging to their monastery. Some disputes were settled by the Bishop of Perugia, under whose jurisdiction the territory fell.
From 1953 to 1994, care of the shrine was entrusted to the Silvestrine Fathers of S. Fortunato.
Initially, the monastery was responsible for the shrine, but after the construction of the actual sanctuary, it passed to the secular clergy of the parish of Santa Maria delle Croci in Casamanza. The official act was only formalized in 1821. At that time, following a dispute with the new landowners, the Torelli family, who also claimed ownership of the sanctuary and took possession of the keys previously held by the tenant farmers working the land, Archbishop Carlo Filesio Cittadini entrusted the keys to the parish priest of Casamanza as rector of the seminary. Custody was given to the descendants of Giorgio Agostini, who had held it since the sanctuary’s construction.
Until 1810, the Poor Clares exercised their rights over the sanctuary through the tenant farmer. The first documented custodian was Giorgio Agostini, the protagonist of the sanctuary’s construction in 1748. Today, it is considered a sanctuary of the people of God.
Ponte Rio, 06125 Perugia, Italy
