“Rise like the morning sunrise.” That’s what the inscription says at Madonna della Portoncina. But what does it mean and why is this Madonna so special?
Madonna della Portoncina stands as a testament to faith and resilience. It rises from a history marked by both devotion and destruction. We are standing before a church with a story etched in its very stones.
This site has been a place of worship for centuries. A church stood here before 1105. Imagine the prayers whispered here over the ages. In 1652, under Spanish rule, the present church was erected. Francesco Maria Richini designed it. After his death in 1658, Francesco Castelli completed the project. He was from Mendrisiotto. The church’s name “alla Porta” means “at the gate”. This is because it stands where the old Porta Vercellina stood. This gate was part of a wall erected by Augustus in the Republican era.
Landolfo Luniore reported that relics were found during the demolition of the previous church on May 7, 1105. These included a piece of Jesus’ burial clothes, a fragment of Mary’s dress and a splinter of the Holy Cross.
This miraculous finding led to the “Festa del Salvatore”. It was celebrated every May 9. A procession went from the church of Saint Tecla to Santa Maria alla Porta. Parishioners waved fronds and carried candles. They recited “agios,” meaning holy or pure.
On December 8, 1651, a fresco was discovered during the reconstruction. It depicted the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus on her lap. It was called the Madonna del grembiule or the Virgin of the Apron. This discovery brought many donations for the church’s renovation.
Federico Borromeo’s visit in 1605 described the church as having three aisles and a cross shape. It faced east and was decorated with frescoes by Luini and Bramante.
Look at the triangular tympanum. Borromini created it. It adorns the Baroque facade. Carlo Simonetta built the high-relief in 1670. It depicts the Assumption of Mary. The inscription beneath reads “ascendit quasi aurora consurgens”. It means “rise like the morning sunrise.” Giacomo Moraglia completed the sculptures on the sides.
Notice the small dome. It covers the church. Girolamo Quadrio possibly made it. Giuseppe Vismara and Simonetta sculpted the four statues of angels in 1662.
The single nave is not very wide. It has four side chapels with white marble statues. Stefano Sampietro decorated the altar of Magdalene. Camillo Procaccini created the work in the sacristy.
During World War II, on the night of August 12-13, 1943, bombs heavily damaged the church. The shrine of the Madonna was destroyed including the sixteenth-century fresco of the Madonna del Grembiule. Shrapnel marks are still visible on the exterior and red granite columns. The high-relief by Simonetta was damaged.
The shrine’s ruins were restored as part of a project completed in 2015. The original marble floor was found. However, it was covered again due to lack of funds. The fresco, Madonna del Grembiule, was restored.
Santa Maria alla Porta is a chantry for Polish-speaking parishioners. You can see this on a plaque near the entrance.
The story of Madonna della Portoncina is one of survival. It is a beacon of hope amidst the trials of time. As we leave, remember the inscription: “ascendit quasi aurora consurgens.” May we all rise like the morning sunrise.