Miracles

Pompei

Paralyzed leg

A girl of eight years, a native of Molfetta, named Maria Petruni, lived in Lecce at the orphanage for the deaf run by the Little Salesian Sisters. The chapel of the Institute is dedicated to the Virgin of Pompei. The girl, a deaf-mute, suddenly felt a strong pain in her right knee. The doctors had to recognize one of the worst manifestations of tubercular adenitis, the so called white tumor. she was operated, but to no avail, indeed she lost the use of that joint. The doctors debated whether to amputate the leg itself. A nun,she deaf and dumb as well, persuaded the girl to turn to prayer to the miraculous Virgin of Pompei. The girl said she had already prayed, but complained: "This Lady is hard headed: She does not want to heal me."

It was May 24th 1889, the sad girl, with crutches beside her, was watching her companions who were playing and looked cheerful. The deaf and dumb sister was standing next to door, driven by great faith, took the crutches, threw them in the air and said to the little Maria: "Walk, Our Lady of Pompei will make you walk." The child immediately felt a new strength flowing to her limbs; She stretched her legs and began moving and running. She was totally healed, as a matter of fact she was able to ascend a long staircase quickly. The illness was gone. The community rejoiced, exploding with joy. The fact was published in the journal of Pompei (October 1889) with the report of the treating physician, Dr. Fiocca of Lecce, and with a number of other witnesses.

Paralysis of the legs
Massafra Angela, 24 years old, resident in Manduria, in the province of Taranto, for three years had been in bed. Affected by paralysis and various wounds had reached the level of consumption. The doctors had given up any hope: in their opinion she was now incurable. Angela was preparing for death and had received the last rites. But she never lost the devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei. Now it happened that on the evening of June 29, 1888, she saw a lady with a white dress into her room who was standing as the Lady of the Rosary of Pompei. With incredible goodness She took off her veil and with it, She wiped the sick woman, which, taken with such a fear, could not even speak a word. The Virgin then disappeared. The next morning, the first of the Fifteen Saturdays of the Rosary, Angela turned out to be perfectly healed, she could move her legs after three years,and to the astonishment of all,she walked, dressed by herself, she returned to life. The attending physician, Dr. Massari, after a few hours, after having seen her, exclaimed in amazement: "A miracle! A miracle! 'The prodigious event immediately spread throughout Manduria between the acclaim of the people and then published in the periodical Rosario and The New Pompei (September 1889), with the certificate of the attending physician and that of the parish priest of the town.

Sclerosis of the spinal cord
Sister Magdalene, of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Posillipo, In April 1890 suffered from a serious disease in her legs, so severe that after only two days she was unable to walk anymore: she could neither stand nor lay in bed. Doctors suspected a paralysis, and soon named the illness: "sclerosis of the spinal cord," which can cause death. The sick woman said she had prayed to many saints, to no avail. At the suggestion of Mother Vicar, she appealed to the Virgin of Pompei. This began the fifteenth Saturday of the Rosary. She renewed the three novenas to the Blessed Virgin and and put all her hopes in Her hands. On the evening of July 24th, to let her breathe a little fresh air, they took her out on the terrace, where Mother Vicar told her words of comfort and, among other things, told her: "Our Lady of Pompei will certainly heal you".
That night she slept well. Suddenly she woke up feeling a new strength in her. she got out of bed on her own and got dressed. She was instantly healed! She left the cell, and with great joy, she ran down the hallway shouting: "Our Lady of Pompei has healed me. A miracle has made me healthy again".

Tuberculous pleurisy
This is a physician attesting to the miracle of his healing, Dr. Vincenzo Mangia Policastro. "The illness suffered by me began to fester in the front of the neck, so I underwent a painful operation ... I was getting better, when I was seized with exudative pleurisy.I consulted Various professors who confirmed unanimously "tuberculous pleurisy". The illness soon spread to the lungs with fever, hemoptysis, bedsores, extreme emaciation: everything predicted an immediate death. My classmate, Dr. Gregory Falconi said publicly to friends, "All the resources of science have been exhausted: death is certain." On January 12th 1890: the agony was advancing by leaps and bounds. My sister Marianna read in the magazine of the Shrine of Pompei the miracles performed by the Virgin.From time to time I kissed the blessed roses of the shrine itself. Suddenly all my sufferings ceased: fever, cough, everything stopped in a heartbeat. All cried out to a miracle, the healing of a disease, which had been declared incurable. Human reason certainly could not understand".

Cured of tuberculosis
Sister Manzella Silva talks about her miracle: "On January 3rd 1906, I got a fever accompanied by sweats, cough, pain in the shoulders and chest, all this did not promise anything good, especially for somebody with a constitution so frail as mine. The lab test of my saliva, revealed the presence of many bacilli of Koch. Meanwhile, the disease continued its course, the sisters urged me to pray to Our Lady of Pompei for healing, so I started the Fifteen Saturdays of Our Lady of Pompei: my students also prayed with great fervor and faith. we were asking for an extraordinary grace, a true prodigy, the merciful power of Mary has no limits. At this time the fever was ceasing,the cough decreased gradually, expectoration disappeared altogether. At the end of the Fifteen Saturdays, my saliva was sent again to the chemical lab and the result was better, because there were very few bacilli. I resumed the Fifteen Saturdays, at the end of which my good Mother Superior wanted my saliva to be analyzed for the third time. And oh, comforting surprise! The lab test, this time, was completely negative.

To be absolutely sure, a test was conducted by the Hospital, the results were the same: negative. The first Sunday of October, the feast of the Most Holy Rosary, completely healed, I was able to reunite with the sisters and my pupils in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei, to thank Her for the miracle. And now I am perfectly healthy, I spent a very cold winter in perfect health and in such a good physical shape to cause astonishment to those who would see me. Endless thanks to the glorious Mother of Mercy and Queen of Victories! Palermo, January 23rd 1909: Sister Silvia Manzella Servant of the poor".
(From The Rosary and New Pompei, Year 1927)

Extraordinary Healing
Sister Mary Catherine Prunetti tells of her recovery: "To the greater glory of God and the heavenly Queen I am sending you the story of the wondrous healing obtained, enclosing a certificate from the doctor which will explain the serious illness of which I was suffering. Having lost all hope of recovery, abandoned by doctors and resigned to the divine will,at the young age of twenty-eight years, I had already suffered enough for a lifetime. Nevertheless, I started the Fifteen Saturdays to the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei. On August 6, I felt a force that was pushing me to address the powerful Queen: - "Dear Mom, I told her, S. Stanislaus, on the occasion of your glorious Assumption, begged you to admit him to Paradise to celebrate this solemnity, and was answered by you, I dare not ask for my unworthiness so much, but, if it conforms to your holy will and that of Jesus, I ask you the grace of health in order to serve the religious community of which I am part. "I cannot explain what happened to me in that very moment. A heavenly voice spoke to my heart: "I shal heal you! "The miracle had already happened! My eyes shed tears of joy ... On that same day, I was able to attend the Canonical Hours and take part in the common table, and after a few days I resumed my obligations that I had not been able to do for five years. In a word: Thanks to the heavenly Queen, I am completely healed. All my sisters do not cease to applaud the miracle. To me there is nothing left but to repay the grace received.

Siena - Monastery of the Virgin at the Refuge N. 2, December 4, 1904 Sister Mary Catherine Prunetti Benedictine"