Basilica of Our Lady of Humility
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of Our Lady of Humility is a Roman Catholic Marian basilica
in Pistoia
, Tuscany
, Italy.
A miracle attributed to the fresco of the Madonna of humility
painted in about 1370 gave rise to the construction of the basilica. The fresco is sometimes attributed to Bartolomeo Cristiani, but was perhaps due to a local painter from Pistoia. The basilica, built by architect Ventura Vitoni, is an important example of high Renaissance
architecture. Giorgio Vasari
built the octagonal dome atop the basilica in 1562. The original fresco remains within the basilica.
According to legend, on July 17, 1490, in the midst of the infighting between local power factions some people saw blood dripping from the forehead of the Madonna fresco, since the Virgin Mary suffered from the bloodshed in the region. The miracle was confirmed by Bishop Nicholas Pandolfini and the important families of Pistoia decided to build the sanctuary to honor the Madonna.
Roman Catholic Marian churches
Throughout history, Roman Catholics have built churches to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, a large number of Roman Catholic churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin exist on all continents...
in Pistoia
Pistoia
Pistoia is a city and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno.-History:...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy.
A miracle attributed to the fresco of the Madonna of humility
Madonna of humility
Madonna of humility refers to artistic portrayals of the Virgin Mary which depict her as a Madonna sitting on the ground, or sitting upon a low cushion. She may be holding the Child Jesus in her lap...
painted in about 1370 gave rise to the construction of the basilica. The fresco is sometimes attributed to Bartolomeo Cristiani, but was perhaps due to a local painter from Pistoia. The basilica, built by architect Ventura Vitoni, is an important example of high Renaissance
High Renaissance
The expression High Renaissance, in art history, is a periodizing convention used to denote the apogee of the visual arts in the Italian Renaissance...
architecture. Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, writer, historian, and architect, who is famous today for his biographies of Italian artists, considered the ideological foundation of art-historical writing.-Biography:...
built the octagonal dome atop the basilica in 1562. The original fresco remains within the basilica.
According to legend, on July 17, 1490, in the midst of the infighting between local power factions some people saw blood dripping from the forehead of the Madonna fresco, since the Virgin Mary suffered from the bloodshed in the region. The miracle was confirmed by Bishop Nicholas Pandolfini and the important families of Pistoia decided to build the sanctuary to honor the Madonna.