New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-03
AN ITALIAN LOURDES.
SCENES RESULTING
FROM A PEASANT GIRLS VISION.
S Exposition.
Rome correspondence of The London Post.

Rome correspondence of The London POSt-
Extraordinary scenes of a morbid religious
fanaticism taking place daily near the WI
lage of Alice Bel Cole, in the Province OF Acqul
in Piedmont. A peasant girl named Glusepplha
Plana, aged fourteen, declared on the morning
of April p that she had seen the Madonna
After consulting the parish priest she returned
to the spot where she stated the vision had
appeared, and again saw an apparltlon OF the
Virgin and Child. The Virgin, according to the
girl Piana, repeatedly expressed the wish that a
magnificent shrine might be erected TO her on
the spot. a temporary shrine has been con-
Structed and now the girl goes every day 10
the scene of her vision, accompanied by crowd
of some five thousand peasants mostly women,
who knee while the girl Piana, entranced holds
conversations in g high voice with the Virgin
Under these conditions miracles were not long IN
happening. one man, whose stomach was out
of order and who had pain in his leg, declared
himself to be cured soon as he reached the
spot. He afterward refused TO allow his leg To
be examined by the doctor who had previously
attended him. \ tradeSman who had suffered
from rheumatism for six months picked up a
handful of mud the scene of the vision and
declared himself cured. peasant woman was
cured of stOmachic complaint by swallowing a
little of the same mud. In view of the lmpor-
lance of the phenomenon the PiedmonteSe news
papers sent special correspondents to the scene
of the vision.
One of them describes the crushing, swayng
crowd of perspiring peasants who cOngregate on
the spot, treading down ana crushing all the
wires and crops in the neishbOrhoOd. AT =
O'Clock in the morning the site of the miracle for
radius of than a kilOnetre abSO-
lutely covered with men, women and children
CdrdblneerS did their best 10 Keep order. ana
especially to prevent the fanaticism of the crowd
from overwhelming the girl Piana. At SD
o'clock she made her appearance escorted by
carabneers, and walked straight to the spot of
the vision She lifted to a platform pre-
pared for her. and Immediately the whole crowd
fell its knees. After some ten minutes the
girl began to shout, She is coming, Kneel and
receive her benedictionr' Presently. turning to
carabineer, the girl said: The Madonna
assures that she will protect me even against
the police" Here the crowd began to make
ugly movement against the Gardiner. The girl
then took a handful of grass which was imme-
diately clamored and scrambled for by the crowd.
Two buckets of water stood near the platform
Dipping her handkerchief in one, the girl placed
it the eye of the carabineer which appea red
TO be inf1amed. The carabneer, SuppreSsing a
smile. turned away and the girl said that he
already felt better
Immediately the cry taken up by the vast
crowd, "A Gardiner has been curedr' and a
rush of peasants suffering from various maadies
was made in the direction of the platform. Some
deaf. some were lame some had children
who were ILL The girl Piana touched them all
one after the other, with the wet handkerchief
and the number of miraculous cures rapidly in
creased. Not only had a carabineer been cured
in public, but people had heard that dumb
man had spoken, that lame child had walked
easily, and others had themselves caught a
glimpse of the Madonna All had remarked how
brightly one particular star Shone
Meanwhile, the carabineerS, thinking the scene
had lasted long enough, said to the girl
Enough for to-day. Go home After the de-
parture of the girl the crowd gradually returned
to the nearest tavernS TO breakfast Here il be-
came known that a poor woman had died on her
way 10 the scene OF the visions and a doubt
spread among the crowd as to why the Madonna
who had cured so many people could not bring
back to life the dead woman The local clergy
and the Bishop Of Acqui appear after having set
the bau rolling. to take no further part either