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A mass inside the Madonna of Tears Sanctuary. (Photo by Antonio M. Mora García)
The Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime di Siracusa in Siracusa, SicilyIf you're interested in seeing a modern cult at work, pop into that giant upside-down ice cream cone across the street from the archeological museum, the Basilica Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime di Siracusa.
Built to house a cheap, mass-produced gypsum bas-relief of the Madonna that miraculously wept on the wall of a Siracusan home for 3 days in 1953, the sanctuary is supposed to resemble a 103-meter-tall teardrop and was apparently raised on the concept that if you stack enough cement toward the heavens, God will notice.
Actually, the space is rather nifty once you're inside, where the faithful flock wipe their faces repeatedly with their palms as they chant prayers to the little Madonna (who, after she stopped crying, performed several miracles of the curing-the-blind and healing-the-lame variety). » Read the full story on the ReidsItaly.com blog.
Santuario Madonna della Lacrime
Via Santuario 3 (between Piazza della Vittoria and Viale Teocrito), Siracusa
tel. +39-0931-21-446
www.madonnadellelacrime.it
Open daily 7am–8pm
Free
Bus there: 1, 4, 5, 8, 26
Bus
back: 2, 3, 18, 25
This is in no way a pretty church—though it is, ahem, striking—nor is there anything of traditional "touristic" value to see (great art and whatnot). It is, however, interesting, and the faithful and anthropologically-minded might want to swing by.
Mass is held in the main sanctuary Monday to Saturday at 6:30pm (7pm in summer), and on Sundays at 9am, 10:30am, noon, 5:30pm, and 7pm.
Because Siracusa buses follow circular routes (rather than out and back), you have to take one bus there (well, one of several choices), but a different bus back.
The bus depot on Ortigia is at Riva Nazario Sauro on the northeast corner of the island:
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Santuario Madonna della Lacrime
Via Santuario 3 (between Piazza della Vittoria and Viale Teocrito), Siracusa
tel. +39-0931-21-446
www.madonnadellelacrime.it
Open daily 7am–8pm
Free
Bus there: 1, 4, 5, 8, 26
Bus
back: 2, 3, 18, 25
This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in April 2015.
All information was accurate at the time.
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