Luigina Sinapi’s Story
A Prelude to the Divine
Exactly ten years before the Virgin of Revelation appeared to Bruno Cornacchiola, she appeared to young catechist Luigina Sinapi on April 12, 1937. Luigina was leading a pilgrimage at the Abbey of Tre Fontane when she stumbled upon what she believed were the remains of an aborted child. After burying the remains, she was graced with a vision of the Virgin Mary, who conveyed a crucial message: “I will return to this place because I need a man who persecutes the Church and wants to kill the Pope. Go to St. Peter’s, and you will meet a lady dressed in black who will introduce you to her brother, a Cardinal.”
An Unexpected Encounter
Following Mary’s instructions, Luigina found the lady in black, Marquise Pacelli, sister of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli—who would later become Pope Pius XII. Luigina shared the Virgin’s message, and though the Cardinal responded with skepticism, he would soon find himself in the papal seat, taking the name Pius XII. Fast forward to 1947, when Bruno Cornacchiola, initially hostile to the Church, encountered the Virgin at Tre Fontane. He was on a mission to kill the Pope but experienced a profound conversion instead. Pope Pius XII, aware of Luigina’s earlier encounter, wholeheartedly believed Bruno’s experience and blessed the statue of the Virgin of Revelation later that year.
The Miraculous Healing of Luigina Sinapi
At just 17, Luigina Sinapi faced a life-threatening illness following her mother’s sudden death. Diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in her intestine, she was given little hope. On August 15, 1933, she prepared for her final moments, receiving the Sacrament of the Sick. In her darkest hour, Jesus appeared alongside the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mistaking Mary for her mother, Luigina was overjoyed, but soon realized the truth. Jesus offered her a choice: to ascend to paradise or to remain on earth, offering her life for the Church and its priests. Choosing the latter, Luigina felt an overwhelming healing presence. Her guardian angel, Samuel, took her hand, and she was miraculously restored, free of illness. This experience deepened her faith and established a lifelong connection with the Virgin Mary, who continued to guide her in her mission of prayer and sacrifice. Luigina’s miraculous healing exemplifies the profound bond between suffering, faith, and divine grace. Luigina Sinapi passed away on April 17, 1978, embodying the essence of selfless love and service to the Church. As a true mustard seed in a furrow, she continues to inspire countless believers, reminding us of the power of God’s love and the divine.
“On 1 November 1950, the Church proclaimed the 4th Marian Dogma: The Assumption of the Virgin Mary body and soul into heaven. Celebrated annually on 15th August.”
In Her Own Words
As she once poignantly remarked, “When I am asked to help my neighbour, may I never complain like Simon of Cyrene first did when asked to help carry the Cross of Jesus.” Her story is a testament to the profound ways the divine can intertwine with our lives, shaping destinies in the most unexpected ways.
Bruno Cornacchiola
Who Was Bruno Cornacchiola?
Bruno Cornacchiola’s life is a fascinating tale of hardship, transformation, and faith. Born on May 9, 1913, in Rome, he came into the world in a setting far from ideal. His father, Antonio Cornacchiola, struggled with alcoholism, often lashing out at his family. Bruno’s mother, a resilient woman, gave birth to him while washing clothes in a stable. As she was wheeled over to a cleaner area, she said, “At least there’s straw for him to rest on.” This moment reflected the struggles and resilience that marked Bruno’s early life.
A Childhood of Struggles
Bruno’s childhood was filled with poverty and turmoil. “I remember the nights I slept in a chapel, wondering if I would have food the next day,” he recalled. By the age of 12, he left home to work at the Pensione Calcagni, often finding shelter wherever he could.
Military Service and Moral Dilemmas
In 1934, his life took a dramatic turn when he enlisted in the military. “I finally had real shoes and a uniform,” he said, astonished at the transformation. But while serving in Spain during the Civil War, Bruno faced moral dilemmas and violence that forced him to question everything he believed.
A Pivotal Encounter
A pivotal encounter occurred with a German soldier named Otto, who shared his faith with Bruno. “Do you believe in the love of Jesus?” Otto asked one day. “I’ve never thought about it,” Bruno admitted. This dialogue sparked a series of conversations that both intrigued and troubled Bruno, leading him to fantasize about assassinating the Pope, whom he believed was corrupt.
A Brush with Death
One fateful day during a military convoy, a child shouted, “Bombs! Get out!” Bruno suddenly saw a girl in white waving him away from danger. “She was telling me to jump!” he later reflected. Moments later, an explosion rocked the truck, and he realized he had narrowly escaped death.
Tumultuous Homecoming
Returning to Italy in 1939, Bruno’s homecoming was tumultuous. When his wife Jolanda tearfully said, “It was the Madonna of Pompeii who helped you come home!” he snapped, “We need to destroy all these images! They’re nothing but idolatry!” In a fit of rage, he smashed religious artifacts, declaring, “These are diabolical!”
A New Path in Faith
Afterward, he and Iolanda began attending the Evangelical Baptist Church, where they were baptized in 1943. “I finally found the truth,” Bruno proclaimed, but his journey didn’t stop there. He became involved with various Protestant denominations, ultimately leading him to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he fervently preached his newfound beliefs.
A Theological Showdown
On the afternoon of March 17, 1947, Bruno Cornacchiola and Pastor Karl engaged in a heated theological debate with Linda Mancini and a Franciscan friar, Bonaventure Mariani. Bruno challenged Mariani fiercely: “You’re cunning artists! You deceive the ignorant! We know the Word of God!”
The Aftermath of the Debate
After four intense hours, the discussion ended. As they prepared to leave, one of the women noticed Bruno’s discomfort. “You look uneasy,” she remarked. Bruno shot back, “I’m happy since I left the Catholic Church.” But the women pressed on, suggesting, “Turn to Our Lady; she will save you.” They offered him a rosary, but Bruno’s resentment lingered. In his diary, he reflected, “I feel something new in my heart… a strong change in character.” Despite this, he urged his children to spit on priests, even causing an accident by slamming a bus door on one, fracturing his leg. When he later visited the injured priest, he confessed, “Father, I did it on purpose because I hated priests! I ask forgiveness.” They embraced, tears in their eyes.
BRUNO CORNACCHIOLA
Bruno Cornacchiola came from the slums of Rome, where he was born on 9th May, 1913. He was one of the five children in a family that shared in the poverty of most of the families in the area. However, its poverty was of a very different kind from that of the family in which Bernadette of Lourdes was born as well as some of the other children to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared. Not only was it materially poor but its spiritual poverty made the situation almost unbearable. Love for God and love for each other had no place in the household. The father’s love was alcohol, and his money went to feed his habit. His wife and children were cruelly neglected and often brutally treated. The burden of supporting the family was thrown on to his wife and what little money she could earn by her work was used mainly to feed and clothe her children. Bruno was bright and intelligent but, without guidance, and more time away from home, roaming the streets of shelter near the Santa Scalae (Holy Stairs) or the many grottoes on the outskirts of Rome, including that of Tre Fontane. He became a typical product of the kind of home in which he was brought up and has millions of counterparts in cities all over the world including those of Australia.
Prayer to obtain the glorification of BRUNO CORNACCHIOLA
Oh Father rich in mercy, who called Bruno Cornacchiola, through the Virgin of the Revelation to be a true disciple of Christ; O Word of the Father, source of all virtue, who has drawn Your obedient servant, Bruno Cornacchiola to Your most Sacred Heart; O Holy Spirit, You who have guided Bruno under the maternal protection of the Virgin of the Revelation; O Most Holy Virgin of the Revelation, you who have proclaimed, “I am who I am in the Divine Trinity”, Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son and Spouse of the Holy Spirit, who has recalled Bruno from error and led him into the Fold of the Holy Catholic Church; Glorify in your Church, Bruno Cornacchiola, and grant me the graces that I now ask through his intercession (pause for intentions).
Our Father, Hail Mary and 3 Glory be to the Father in honour of the Most Holy Trinity.
THE APPARITION
A Change of Plans
On April 12, 1947, instead of going to work, Bruno Cornacchiola paid a fine and attended an Adventist worship service. The Pastor tasked the participants with speaking publicly the next day, and Bruno was chosen to address the Marian dogmas in the piazza of the Red Cross. After lunch, he took his children to the beach at Ostia to play while he prepared his speech. Iolanda was in bed after another argument. They arrived at the Ostiense Railway Station, but with an hour until the next train, Bruno decided to visit the hill of Tre Fontane, a sacred place from his childhood.
A Sacred Site
The hill, known for the martyrdom of St. Paul, was filled with eucalyptus trees and small caves. It had a rich history, including the execution of Christian legionaries and the establishment of a monastery. Around 3 PM, they arrived at the hill. Gianfranco sat nearby with a magazine while Bruno immersed himself in the Bible. Isola and Carlo played with a tambourine and a red ball. When they lost the ball, Bruno helped search for it but grew irritated as they began to call out, “Beautiful Lady!”
A Mystical Encounter
As Gianfranco knelt before the grotto, he repeated, “Beautiful Lady, Beautiful Lady.” This deeply frustrated Bruno. “I do not want you to play ‘Beautiful Lady’!” he snapped. Isola replied, “I don’t know that game.” Bruno became enraged as all three children knelt and echoed, “Beautiful Lady.” Despite his efforts to lift them, they felt as heavy as stone. He saw their faces were almost translucent, and fear filled him. “Who’s in there? Get up!” he shouted into the dark grotto, but it was empty. Overwhelmed, he cried, “God, save us!” As he collapsed in despair, two pure white hands emerged from the grotto, touching his eyes. “It felt like scales being torn away,” he recalled. Kneeling, he experienced profound peace and joy.
The Beautiful Lady
In the mystical light, he saw a radiant Woman with a green mantle and a white dress. “I am…” she began, speaking for about an hour. Bruno later wrote in his diary that the colors she wore symbolized the Trinity: green for the Father, white for the Son, and pink for the Holy Spirit. When the vision ended, Carlo ran towards the grotto, shouting, “Daddy, I can still see her green dress!” He turned back in tears, saying she had disappeared. Isola confirmed she saw the Beautiful Lady too, while Gianfranco, the youngest, thought she was “chewing gum” and holding his homework book.
A Transformative Experience
What began as an ordinary day transformed into an unforgettable encounter, reshaping Bruno’s heart and future. Upon returning home, Cornacchiola told the children not to speak to anyone about what had happened. But of course, as soon as they met other children in the building, they started shouting that they had seen the Beautiful Lady at the Tre Fontane. The caretaker, a neighbour and Jolanda immediately asked what had happened. Bruno asked his wife to quickly enter their apartment and once inside he fell down on his knees and broke into tears “What I have taught you about the Madonna is all false. It is true what the children are saying; we had an apparition in a grotto at Tre Fontane. Forgive me, Jolanda, for all the evil that I have done to you, for all the ill-treatment you have received from me.”