Cappella S. Maria di Corsignano
20th century
In 1188, a solitary ship cut through the waves of the Adriatic sea,its sails ripped and its hull worn by storms and battles. On board was a man bearing the scars of battle, Captain Gereteo Alesbojsne, a noble French crusader who had fled from Jerusalem after the city fell to the dreaded Saladin. His face told a tale of pain, sacrifice and faith, a faith which he still held strong despite his many trials.
When the ship finally arrived at the port of Brindisi, Gereteo felt the urgent need to find refuge. Destiny guided him towards the ancient hamlet of Corsignano. The inhabitants of the castle welcomed Gereteo with the warmth and respect worthy of a valourous warrior. The captain, touched by such hospitality, decided to pay these people back with a significant gesture. Among the few treasures he had brought with him from the Holy Land was a precious icon he had saved from the destruction of the Church of Edessa and which represented a symbol of hope and faith, a tangible symbol of his fight for christianity. When the icon was placed on the altar of the church of the hamlet, now known as Padre Eterno (Eternal Father), the community immediately felt a new sacred energy permeate the place. Soon, tales of miracles atrributed to the icon abounded and its fame grew from year to year, bringing pilgrims from all over.
In 1388, Giovinazzo was troubled by tension and conflicts between the people and the nobility and a bitter contrasts threatened the town. Seeking harmony the community invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary to bring peace back to the town. After months of prayer, the Madonna di Corsignano was declared Protector of the town in the name of hope and peace. From that moment on, every third Sunday of August the faithful unite to honour the Virgin Mary, offering signs of their devotion and renewing a centuries-old vow.
The chapel of Santa Maria di Corsignano was built in 1950 and preserves a stone copy of the original icon, sculpted by the local sculptor Paolo Palumbo after the theft of the previous copy. The chapel is similar to a votive niche, it is a place of pilgrimage where legend and faith live on, in the heart of all the inhabitants.
