Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-01-27
A RELIGIOUS OUTBREAK.

| A Rome letter to the London Times says
"a remarkable outbreak of religion has
been spreading during the past month near
Piacerza, where the mountain village OF
Corano has, il is alleged. been tho scene OF
a miraculous appearance OF The Madonna.
70 this lonely spot destitute of railway and
telegraphic communication, thousands are
now dockng from all directions. N en- as
we'll as women are falling upon the ground
in delirium Of suppicat!on, kissing the
stones, weeping, laughing, singing, and
many fainting, CT falling into convulsions,
and some lying in y state OF ecstatc trance.
| Just a month ago II little girl eleven years
old, Desolina Lusenti, u grandchild of the
Corano bell ringer, declared that she had
seen on the mountain road of the Boscone q
mos. beautiful lady (una signora bella, bel
la) dressed in blue, coming cut of the wood,
who said My child, I am the Madonna.
Christ, my Son, has allowed me to come
once more on Garth He is weary CT the
niquity Of man, Gnd am weary of their in
credulty. | will stay in this place for
awhile among you, and you shall come and
adore me here, and rebuild the oratory
which was ouce on this spot She then dis
appeared, but few hours afterWard sill
Corano knew what the girl had seen. Some
werc incredulous. but the greater number
| did not for moment discuss the veracity of
the girls statements. Eesolina was hailed
as the favorite child of the Madonna, and
the whole population went out IN procession
| to the point at the entrance of the wood
From that moment there commenced a lite.
raj epidemic Of ecstac;es and visions. While
I write more than thirty little girls declare
that they have seen and are in direct Gem
municaton with the Madonna. To these
are added men and women, young and old,
married and single. had scarcely put my
| foot outside the walls of PlaceBza before
found that nothing was spoken Of but the
Madonna of Corano | can only compare
the frenzy of enthusiasm with which oil
| rush to Corano to that of the Crusaders
when about to behold Jerusalem for the first
| time. For miles around this village The
country has the appearance Of the Tuscan
| hiaremma at the time of the unfortunate
| prophet of Arcidosso, David Lazaretti.
Hanging from the branches Of the trees and
| on the hedges on all sides are offerings
presented by the peasants 10 The miracu-
| lous shrine, which al present consist Of y
| basket, draped with three or four cloths. Oh
| the roadside, to The right, as you proceed to-
wards Corano. Hundreds ans hnndreds of
persons are seen aboring up lie steep as.
cent, under the burning iAy& Z! tho July
sun. Some girls scramble upthe bare rocks,
supplicating the Virgin with loud cries to
appear, until they faint with fatigue. Re.
covering their senses, they say that they
hear the voice Of the Madonna, while all
present fall on the ground kissing The earth,
with CONCLUSIVE sobs aud floods of tears. a
profound impression is produced. TO ag-
gravate matters, women known to be hys-
terica!, sing, laugh and cry, causing others
| to initiate them. While | write this thou
sands are thropging hther from the valleys
of the old duchies, from Piedmont, from Ii
gu,ia, from Lombardy. The number is esti
mated at sixteen thousand