The Holy House of Loreto

In a little village in Italy, resides three walls which according to ancient sources are part of the Cave of Nazareth where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born, lived and received the Annunciation from the Angel Gabriel. Tradition states that this Holy House was transported by Angels from Nazareth to Loreto.

Near the Adriatic Sea, Loreto is a picturesque hill town of some 10,000 inhabitants located in the central Italian region known as the Marches. It is famous throughout the world for the Holy House of the Virgin Mary of Nazareth and had been an important pilgrimage destination for nearly eight centuries. Today, the Holy House resides in the Basilica della Santa Casa.

After the Ascension of Jesus, the Holy House was converted into a church where the Apostles were said to have placed an altar, at which Saint Peter celebrated the first Eucharist after the Resurrection. In the 4^th century Emperor Constantine’s mother, the Empress Helena, had a basilica built over the cave to preserve it.

In 637, Muslim forces conquered Jerusalem. For many years, they protected Christian and Jewish holy sites and allowed pilgrims to freely visit. In 1099, Christian Crusaders were able to regain control of Jerusalem but not for long. In 1187, Muslim leader, Saladin reconquered the territory and expelled the Christians, which would lead to further Crusades.

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Just before the final expulsion of the Christians and fearing Muslim destruction, many sacred Christians landmarks were removed by Crusaders and transported to Christian lands. In 1291, the Holy House was reputed to have been miraculously moved by “angels” from Nazareth to a hill in Croatia. And in 1294, “angels” again carried the Holy House across the Adriatic Sea to the woods near Ancona, then to a forest near Recanati, before settling on its current site, giving rise to the name Loreto from a landowner named Loreta. In the mid-15^th century, to protect the stone walls, a magnificent Sanctuary, Basilica della Santa Casa,  was built to house the Holy House.  

The reference to “angels” most likely refers to the Angelos family. Documents in the Vatican archives suggest that members of a noble Byzantine family named Angelos (which in Greek and Latin translates as “angels”)  were the ones who saved the Holy House from Muslim devastation. This is further substantiated by a record showing that a member of the Angelos family who was ruler of Epirus in 1296 sent bricks from the Holy House as a wedding present for his daughter who married the son of the King of Naples.

Archaeological evidence carried out on the bricks from the Holy House supports the authenticity of the walls. The stones contain Roman numerals, which suggests that the three walls were carefully taken apart with the intention of reassemble them at another location. The traditional date of the miraculous transition, May 12, 1291, is compatible with the date that the Crusader capital of Acre fell six days later. This would have allowed for the shipment of the stones from Nazareth to the port of Acre. In addition, the three walls from the Holy House fit perfectly within the perimeter of the Grotto in Nazareth where the walls would have resided. In addition, the stones are typical of Palestine building bricks used during the time of Blessed Mary.

Pilgrims have been visiting Lorento since the arrival of the Holy House seeking grace, blessings and healing and now visitors come from around the world to pray at this holy relic and pay their respects to the Virgin Mary.

December 10^th is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Loreto, which commemorates the miraculous transport of the Virgin Mary's house from Nazareth to Loreto, Italy, making her the patron saint of aviation, travelers, and builders. As an early December feast, it ties into Advent, focusing on Mary's acceptance of God's will and the mystery of the Incarnation as Christmas approaches. The shrine is a powerful reminder of the Incarnation, where the Word became flesh in Mary's womb.