Moiano

Madonna Della Libera (Our Lady of Freedom)

In her church Santa Maria della Libera, life size, 16th century incarnation of an older statue.

For two or three hundred years starting during the 9th or 10th centuries, many pilgrims visited the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Moiano, and there were miracles and cures. Then the sanctuary fell into ruin, perhaps due to the plague, but the memory of a miracle working Black Madonna remained until the church and statue could be rebuilt in the 16th century.

The church speculates that her title goes back to the 16th century. Around 1571 the Turks had invaded Italy and would not let the populace practice Catholicism. In Moiano victory over the Turks was attributed to the many individuals who had prayed to Our Lady of Moiano. Probably for this reason she was henceforth called Santa Maria Della Libera (Our Lady of Liberty.)

St. Padre Pio had a great devotion to this Lady.