Tre Fontane, Italy (1947)

Summary

Bruno Cornacchiola was a poor Italian tram conductor in Rome who was a Protestant Adventist and a Communist. In fact, his anti-Catholicism was so extreme that he plotted an assassiantion of the Pope. On April 12, 1947 while he practiced for a upcoming anti-Catholic lecture, he and his children encountered the Virgin in a grotto at Tre Fontane. Bruno went on to claim 28 additional apparitions.

A definitive judgement, either positive or negative in regard to the authenticity of Tre Fontane, has not been made.

May 9, 1913

Bruno Cornacchiola is born.

1936

Bruno marries Iolanda Lo Gatto and moves to Spain to earn money fighting in the Spanish Civil War.

1939-47

Bruno works as a tram conductor in Rome to support his three children (Carlo, Gianfranco, and Isola). He embraces Communism, divorces his wife, and fights on the side of anti-Catholic forces during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. He later returned to his wife but was far from a model husband using foul language, committing adultery and forbidding her to practice her Catholic faith. He converts to 7th Day Adventism and became an ardent prostelytzer. He conceived of a plot to assassinate the Pope Pope Pius XII on September 8th, 1947 the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

April 12, 1947

On the Saturday after Easter Sunday, Bruno took his three children to a picnic to Trefontane (the place of the decapitation of St. Paul and also called the Fountains of the Blessed Trinity). Bruno sat in a cove of eucalyptus trees earlier that day as he wrote his notes for a presentation ridiculing of the Immaculate Conception. He wrote on the base of a statue of the Virgin Mary "Virgin Mother - you are neither Virgin nor Mother".

April 12, 1947

Bruno and his children encountered the Virgin Mary at a grotto in Tre Fontane when they are looking for a lost ball. He saw his child kneeling with a radiantly joyful face at the the entrance of a cave repeating the phrase "Beautiful lady!". Bruno couldn't see anything but his other two children began to kneel as well. Afraid, Bruno tried to grab his children and run but he could not move them. A bright light momentarily blinded him and he felt weightless and his sould was leaving his body. When his sight returned he saw a woman of celestial beauty wearing a dazzling white dress with a rose sash and a long green mantle. She said that she was the "One who is of the Divine Trinity" and identifed herself as "Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and Spouse and Temple of the Holy Spirit. I am the the Virgin of Revelation". She admonished Bruno, "You persecute me. Enough of it now. Enter into God's kingdom on earth. The nine first Fridays of the Sacred Heart have saved you. You must be like flowers picked by your daughter Istola- they make no protest, they are silent and do not rebel". (Early in his marriage Bruno had previously in his life attended nine First Fridays prescribed by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with his wife hoped he would be converted.) "In this place of sin, I will perform miracles for the conversion of unbelievers." (That place known immorality was later turned into a grotto where the dirt was considered miraculous) "Return to the pure source of the Gospel. Pray much and recite the rosary for conversion of sinners, of unbelievers, and of all Christians". Anticipating the proclamation of the 1950 proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption, she explained "My body would not be allowed to decay. My son came for me with his angels." The vision lasted 80 minutes. She gave him a special message to be delivered to the Pope.

1947

The local Church authorities carry out an investigation. The Vicariate of Rome approves the cult of the Virign of Revelation.

October 5, 1947

A special statue of the Virgin of Revelation was blessed by Pope Pius XII and then taken in procession from St Peter's Square to Tre Fontane.

December 9, 1949

Bruno meets with Pope Pius XII in his private chapel, surrendering his dagger and confessing his assassination plot.

1956

The Franciscan Conventual Friars Minor were given custody of the Grotto of the Three Fountains.

April 12, 1987

On the fortieth anniversary of the apparition, Cardinal Poletti, the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, and thus the Pope's official episcopal representative for the diocese, came to the shrine to celebrate Mass.

June 22, 2001

Bruno Cornacchiola died Friday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at 12 noon.

2001

The Sisters of Divine Revelation received approval, but the project of Mother Prisca, our founder, was born much earlier. She came from Catholic Action and had already lived many years close to Cornacchiola, following his catecheses in his meetings. Then, little by little, she also felt in her heart the decision to dedicate herself to the call to found an order that would spread this story of love and mercy. She was the one who chose everything, even the making and color of the order's habit in reference to the mantle of the Virgin during the apparition. However, Mother Prisca did not see her project realized, as she died in 1998. (Source: Zenit)