Deruta’s Hidden Miracle: Madonna del Bagno

Jan. 27, 2009 - PRLog -- Stories of miracles abound when you visit catholic Italy (and not only) but one of the most striking is that which, confirmed by the church, happened in Deruta in year 1657 and has led to the cult of the “ceramic tile”.

Story goes (see www.derutanews.it) that a man, to save his terminally ill wife, knelt in prayer - wishing for his wife’s recovery - to the feet of the tree to which a ceramic image of the Holy Mary and child had been hung by a monk previously. When he returned home he found his wife cleaning the kitchen.

The events that followed confirmed the miracle and a chapel was quickly built in the woods where the miracle happened.  The news of the occurrence spread quickly and increasing number of people begun visiting the chapel asking for favours.  Those who received one hung a votive tile.  The chapel begun to fill up until 1980 when thieves entered it overnight, robbed the best and in the hurry to get away, broke most of the rest.

It took seven years to restore the chapel  which now, in 2009,  is almost full with some 700 tiles. A fair part of these are the ones recovered from the robbery in the course of years.

The story of “Madonna del Bagno” is one of Deruta’s best kept secrets. It is a beautiful place, in the midst of a forest that looks like coming out of one of brothers Grimm’s fairy tales. Tourist that visit Deruta and the region should bear in mind a little detour and visit one of the most charming places in Umbria, the heart of historic Italy.

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The Deruta Electronic Newsletter published under the Patronage of the Deruta Borough by Alfredo Sarich