Discover how a humble patch of soil from Rome’s Grotto Tre Fontane became a source of miraculous healings and conversions, and how its legacy thrives at the Bullsbrook Shrine in Western Australia.
The Miraculous Soil of Grotto Tre Fontane: A Journey of Faith and Healing
When the Blessed Virgin appeared to St Bernadette She said, “Wash yourself with the water!” pointing to a corner in the Grotto. On looking, Benadette saw that the soil was damp and began digging. There was water sufficient to wash herself. And we know that from that point on of the stories of the miraculous healing powers of soul and body attributed to the gift of this water.
The Grotto of Tre Fontane in Rome is like a small Lourdes, but with some differences. Our Lady pointed to the water to Bernadette but to Bruno Cornacchiola, the seer of the Virgin at Tre Fontane, She pointed to the soil say-ing, “With this soil of sin I shall perform great miracles for the conversion of unbelievers.” Thus the soil inside the Grotto, until then a haven for prostitutes and sinners alike became blessed soil which the Divine Omnipotence wants to use to glorify the Queen of Heaven.
Bruno understood well the Virgin’s words and when he spoke of the apparition he never failed to point out how precious that soil is. One can understand the Virgin using water to perform miracles, since water is a symbol of purification. But why the use of soil particularly that of a grotto which was a well known place of sin? Well this too has its meaning.
The Grotto, with its rough surface, its shade and its unhealthy air, is the sad image of today’s humanity, immersed in the mire of immorality: divorce, nudism, immodest dress, pornography, scandalous TV programmes and obscene movies.
Godlessness!!!
Inside the Grotto of Tre Fontane the Virgin appeared and brought celestial light to the darkness, and the sweet mysterious perfume to the dank air. The grotto too is a symbol of the human heart, every human heart. To each heart the Virgin wants to bring the light of Revelation. She wants the perfume of virtue in each soul: She is ready to give her help to whoever prays to her with trust and love.
A sinful soul that puts itself under the mantle of Our Lady Refuge of sinners may be renewed and reach perfection just as the Grotto of Tre Fontane did.
It was a place of sin that became a spiritual oasis where one prays, makes holy
resolutions and is renewed. The conversion of the notorious ‘Public Enemy Number One’ of the Church in Rome, Bruno Cornacchiola, is one of the best known conversions attributed to the Virgin of the Revelation.
CURES
The soil from the Grotto is now very treasured and in demand. Many benefits, including miracles have been obtained by using it with faith. Requests for this soil come from all over the world. Soon after the apparitions, word spread of spectacular healings. A group of Physicians founded a Medical College in order to observe these healings, with the doctors meeting every fifteen days. The examinations were perhaps even stricter than those at the International Medical Centre in Lourdes.
The most significant cures which were submitted to scientific scrutiny have been described by Dr Albert Alliney in his book, ” The Grotto of Tre Fontane,” prefaced by Professor Nicola Pende. At the beginning of the book the author asserts: “I have been asked by many people either in person or by letter, if cures really took place at the Grotto of Tre Fontane. After years of objective investigation under strict controls, I can affirm that many prodigious cures have taken place. These cures amazed the physicians for they transcend current scientific knowledge.”
(Extract from ” The Virgin of Tre Fontane” by Dom Tomiselli.)
PALMA BLAIR - A CONVERSION AND CURE
Palma gives personal witness to her cure, both spiritual and physical
“I had a blood clot caused by an endocardite which provoked a paralysis of the left side. I was sick and naturally couldn’t walk. Many times the Parish Priest would come to see me. He would bring a crucifix along with him. At first I tolerated it, but finally I said to him: “Why do you come with that crucifix which really gets on my goat! Go away!”
Kindly he replied, “Be good! Behave yourself. Try to have some faith…” What do you mean, faith? You turn me off. Leave, for you have annoyed me enough!”
Very patiently he continued to insist that he should visit me. One evening he came and asked if I wanted to go to Rome on an organised trip for the Jubilee. It was the beginning of September, 1950. When the priest said that, I got even more angry and said, “You come here to make fun of me since you know I can’t walk.
You come to invite me on a pilgrimage because I walk with crutches and a cane. Come on, What pilgrimage! First of all I don’t know what a Jubilee means, what a Holy Year is, and you want to take me along, for what?”
Well, we did go to Tre Fontane. There was a path then, now there are steps. As we say in my city of Perugia, it was a ‘country path’ with red mud that made you slip. I was convinced that I would eat before going up to the Grotto, but the person with the food had vanished. It was then that I really got angry and began swearing.
I cursed the poor Madonna more times than you could imagine. At a certain moment my mother exclaimed, “Come on we are almost there!”
I said to her, “Now look.” And I turned and stopped because I couldn’t make it any further; a pain was piercing my hand, my armpit, and my foot, and I continued,
“if you don’t stop bothering me, I’ll knock your block off!” And so she kept quiet.
I went up the hill. Behind me there was a couple from Palermo. I heard him say to his wife, “If it is true that there is something special here, I would like to see this young girl walk.”
Once we had almost arrived at the opening in front of the Grotto, my mother said to me: “I would like that at least the Virgin do one thing: either cure you or take. you with her.”
A friend behind me asked, “Where is the Madonna?”
“They fenced the Virgin in: do you see her? They are afraid that she might run away!” I said this with a sneer.
After those words (and I wish I could have the same feeling to day) I felt as if someone had run up behind me and pushed me forward. They say that I shouted but I can’t attest to that. I can’t say, “It’s true.”
However my mother, who was near me, and whom I saw after an hour, heard me say, “O my God, mother, I am dying,” and I started running. Without touching any pilgrims, any one, I found myself kneeling before the Madonna’s Grotto, with my hands entwined in the fence.
There and then I thought, ” This is, how to say, an hallucination. It’s crowd hysteria!” But I became aware that the wound in my hand had gone, and there was nothing under my armpit, only a little red spot, like a healed wound. I felt a little dizzy, but I felt all better immediately and I started mumbling, hugging every one, beginning with the Bishop of Bologna.
Right there and then I understood what Our Lady meant to tell me:
” Yes, it’s true, you came here to mock me, and I pay you back in a different way. “And this is how she gave me faith: showing me the truth.
(Spoken by Palma Blair on the SACRI Video “Testimonies”)
BULLSBROOK AND THE SOIL
Soil from Tre Fontane was placed under the statue, in the little original grotto of the Virgin. This was so that all who sought Her intercession would be able to participate in the promises She made to Bruno Cornacchiola in 1947. There are many who attest to the graces they have received through their trust in the Virgin of the Revelation.
Similarly when the grace of the water was discovered at the Shrine, a piece of the rock on which the Virgin stood in the Grotto of Tre Fontane during Her appearance to Bruno, was placed in the well. Today the water that we receive runs over this blessed rock.
“Prayer to the Virgin of the Revelation for all the sick.”
(Inspired by her. Spoken by the seer, Bruno Cornacchiola on 12* April 1980, at Grotto Tre Fontane, Italy.)
Most Holy Virgin of the Revelation, with our heart full of anguish we are at your feet, imploring you to receive and grant our poor prayers. We recommend the sick to you, (With a firm faith, nominate the name of the sick person- silently name the sick who are far away). With trust and love we turn to you, begging you for their physical and moral healing and for the health of their soul.
You who are the Mother of God, You who are our Mother, we beg you intervene in your maternal charity. In you we find all our hope and we are certain that you will save us.
Intercede with your Son Jesus so that the grace we ask for will be granted: THE HEALTH OF THE SICK.
O Mother of us sinners O Virgin of the Revelation Listen and answer our prayers.
Sign Up Today! To Receive the Latests Shrine Scene
