Gallery
Description
Elevated with the title of Shrine by Msgr. Federico Emmanuel bishop of Castellammare di Stabia on 27 October 1946
Sanctuary built from 1939 to 1950 on the initiative of Antonietta D’Aniello, who spread the devotion to the Child Jesus
The story of the Child
The story of the prodigious Child began in 1933 in the small town of S. Antonio Abate in the province of Naples. So notes the sac. Maurizio D’Aniello. “Anyone who has gone to via Teilliti di S. Antonio Abate and actually to the house of the devout Rosa Alfano is amazed to see that both the walls and the chests of drawers are full of images and sacred statuettes. After all, in ancient times almost every family had a statuette of the Child”.
In this holy house there was a statuette larger than a Child, while another statuette was almost forgotten. Certainly one cannot always be in good health and this woman also fell seriously ill. Having no relative to look after her, he begged a pious young lady named Antonietta D’Aniello to come to her every day to provide her with some service. And Antonietta as a sincere friend of hers served her until she was completely recovered.
Just for a while
When they left, Antonietta asked for a small statue of the Child Jesus as compensation. Her devoted Rosa gave it to him, telling her that she would give it to him for some time, but that later she had to give it back to him. Antonietta lived with another pious woman named Rosaria D’Auria and brought the Child immediately they put him in a niche and displayed him on the chest of drawers in the most exposed part of the house.
Antonietta made him a new dress and later a new niche.
The Compassionist Sisters of the village of Angri gave a garland of artificial white flowers. They began to light candles and lamps. Many people recommended themselves to the Child and received graces and favours. A painter from Scafati was also called and the Bambinello was retouched giving it a more graceful shape. Devotees began to bring candles and even some gold objects.
Thus the first manifestations of popular devotion to the Child took place in the house of the devout Rosaria, with prayers, concourse of devotees, pilgrimages and graces.
The many wanderings of the statuette of the Prodigious Child also began in search of a better and more suitable arrangement, with an unsuccessful attempt to place the statuette in the church of the Immacolata in S. Antonio Abate.
Still controversies and the statuette of the Child Jesus no longer found peace in Rosaria’s room. there again Don Maurizio who tells us the story in a compelling way, making it relive, as if from life. And in the meantime the Child found accommodation in Pozzo de’ Goti, in the house of Alfonso D’Aniello, Antonietta’s brother.
“As the statuette gained fame, the desire was felt to build a church even of modest proportions. Many thought of erecting it in the small fund of Rosaria D’Auria, others in the crossroads in the property of the lawyer De Luca. On Sunday he came to him. Ecc. Mons. Pasquale Ragosta to visit the Hospice of s. Gerardo and was also invited to see the Child.
The director Don Mosé rightly objected because in this way two works were started three meters apart. There was no shortage of controversies and disappointments and they worsened so much that one fine day the devout Antonietta transported the statuette privately to Pozzo de ‘Goti from her brother Alfonso. In this house the Holy Child acquired renown especially in the municipality of Angri “.
A bigger space
But the site was deemed insufficient to contain the Church and the Works planned. It was thought of a larger space on which to build the various structures with a majestic temple.
And the first stone was solemnly laid on 17 December 1939 by the diocesan Mons. Federico Emanuel in the new and definitive site, in via casa Russo.
The works continued amidst a thousand difficulties in the difficult years of the war and after the war, but the tenacious will of the priest Di Iorio, of the devotees Antonietta and Immacolatina and of all the people contributed decisively to the realization of an impressive work in the short span of a decade .
A devotee of the time expresses this in this regard: “However, the man predestined by the Lord was needed so that the Work timidly begun could develop and give life according to the plans of the Almighty. So in May 1941 a Molise priest, Don Luigi Di Iorio, a true apostle temper, who was in Naples for reasons of his ministry, was called by the bishop to manage the Work.
Despite the difficult times, the sapling gradually develops and becomes a robust tree full of life: the chapel has now become a large and majestic temple whose dome stands out against the green hills and above it, a statue of the Child Jesus he will turn his gaze to protect those faithful, inhabitants of the area, who have given their offering for the temple to rise and develop”.
Here too, as in Pompeii, alongside the Sanctuary stands a building that will have to accommodate the derelict little ones, orphans of their parents, who will find in Don Luigi a loving and caring father and in the devout Antonietta and Immacolatina tender and affectionately maternal care…
On October 27, 1946 the diocesan bishop Msgr. Federico Emanuel declared the new Temple a Sanctuary of which the priest was considered the founder. don Luigi Di Iorio, initiator of the work the devout Antonietta D’Aniello and collaborator Immacolatina Delle Donne.
Mons. Emanuel on 29 October 1950, Sunday of Christ the King, returned to the Russo home to solemnly consecrate the new Temple and dedicate it to the Child Jesus. The next day Don Luigi was already thinking about the future, about who should continue his work and develop it according to the plans of divine Providence.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart
There were various contacts with women’s religious institutes, but in the end Don Luigi had a positive response from the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians), who opened the Missionary School in the rooms annexed to the Sanctuary in 1955, which was then moved to the ultra-modern building built in 1963 .
In 1970 there were substantial restoration interventions on the Temple which thus acquired decorum, functionality and a new liturgical direction.
In fact, on 20 December 1970 the diocesan bishop Mons. Raffaele Pellecchia solemnly consecrated the new altar, built according to the norms of the post-conciliar liturgical constitution.
On 17 December 1979 there was the solemn anniversary of the 40th anniversary of the laying of the first stone of the Sanctuary with the celebration of a Holy Mass of thanksgiving, presided over by the priest Don Federico D’Aniello.
On February 4, 1989, the parish priest don Vincenzo Rosanova hopes that the statuette of the Child Jesus is carried in procession to the parish church of S. Antonio Abate where it remains until the 6th of the indicated month, when, with a large crowd of people, it is accompanied to the home shrine Russian. On 17 December 1989 with a solemn celebration, presided over by His Exc. Mons. Felice Cece, Archbishop of Sorrento – Castellammare, the 50th anniversary of the laying of the first stone of the Sanctuary was remembered.
In honor of the Child Jesus
Antonietta lived 40 years in the shadow of the temple erected in honor of the Child Jesus. She made her last communion by participating in the Holy Mass at 7 on the morning of February 12, 1980. Then after having breakfast, feeling unwell she went back to bed. It seemed like a passing crisis, but instead she made her recommendations by insisting: “I really mean it, it’s my will”. She wanted the commitment to say a Holy Mass for the souls in Purgatory and one of hers in honor of the Child Jesus, to whom she dedicated her life and addressed her dearest invocation:
“Sweet love,
I give you the key to my heart,
open and close at your pleasure,
do your will in me.”
There are no extraordinary events in her life; the many people who came to visit her felt the charm of her piety and devotion. The hours she spent in prayer had refined her soul, which manifested itself with precious advice and a welcoming smile, the fruit of the singular experience of faith, guided by good spiritual fathers.
She often recounted examples taken from the life of the Saints, to encourage people to live a Christian life or she also quoted phrases heard in sermons or read in edifying books. She sang the rosary, novenas and songs of ancient tradition.
In her humility she was aware that she had completed her mission of animating popular devotion and initiating a Work of great help for the many orphans and for young people eager to become priests of the Sacred Heart. On November 17th she had left written on a piece of paper: «The light that I lit still burns and I hope in the Lord it will always last».
Contacts of the Sanctuary
| Address: | Via Casa Russo, 80057, Sant'Antonio Abate (NA) |
| Website: | https://www.facebook.com/santuariogesubambino |
| Telephone: | 081 8796226 |
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| Confessions: | day x from xx:xx to xx:xx |
