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The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Oak: the church born from an August snowfall
The Santuario della Madonna della Quercia is located in Marano Equo, in the heart of the Aniene Valley. Its origin is tied up with an extraordinary legend: a miraculous snowfall on the 5th of August, in the full heat of summer, traced the floor plan of the church upon the ground. This event brought an end to a long-lasting dispute over possession of a sacred image of the Madonna.
A dispute between villages
Legend has it that the sacred image appeared on an oak tree on the border with the neighbouring village of Anticoli Corrado. Both communities claimed it as their own. The summer snowfall, which marked the site with the façade facing towards Marano, was the first divine sign. But the people of Anticoli, it is said, only conceded defeat after losing a "race" of processions to be the first to reach the holy site.
Artworks and a recent wound
The interior of the church is simple, divided into three bays by large arches. On the left wall is the 1634 fresco painted by Francesco Cozza, which depicts the very scene of the miracle. Sadly, the original 18th-century wooden statue is no longer there. It was stolen in 1978. Today, a copy stands in its place as an object of veneration.
The sanctuary is an active place of worship. Access is generally free, but opening hours may vary. The main feast day, when a plenary indulgence may be obtained, is celebrated every year on the 5th of August.
