Episode 2084: Our Lady of Good Counsel

Our Lady of Good Counsel centers around a miraculous image found in the small town of Genazzano, Italy. Here’s a brief overview:

Legend holds that in the 15th century, during the pontificate of Pope Sixtus IV, a church dedicated to St. Mark was being constructed in Genazzano. According to tradition, on April 25, 1467, as workers were busy with the construction, a cloud descended upon the town's ancient church of Santa Maria Novar and then disappeared, leaving behind a beautiful image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus on her arm.

The image, known as Our Lady of Good Counsel, depicts Mary as a young woman holding the Child Jesus. It's a fresco painted on a thin layer of plaster, which miraculously adhered to a wall of the church without the use of any visible binding agent. This miraculous appearance of the image brought about a profound devotion among the people of Genazzano and pilgrims who traveled from far and wide to venerate it.

Over the centuries, many miracles and graces were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel, and devotion to her spread throughout Italy and beyond. The feast day of Our Lady of Good Counsel is celebrated on April 26th.

The miraculous image has remained a focal point of devotion, and the sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano has become a place of pilgrimage for those seeking guidance, solace, and intercession through the Blessed Virgin Mary under this title. Throughout history, numerous popes and saints have shown devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel, further solidifying her significance in Catholic devotion and spirituality.