Our Lady of Good Counsel

Our Lady of Good Counsel is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary after a miraculous painting found in the Augustinian church at Genazzano, Italy. According to tradition, during festivities for the Feast of St Mark in 1467, the townspeople suddenly heard “exquisite music.” A mysterious cloud then descended and obliterated an unfinished wall of the parish church. The cloud dissipated before the people, and a beautiful fresco of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Christ Child was revealed. The image received its papal coronation on November 17, 1682 from Pope Innocent XI. A report written five days later describes the image as touching the wall only at the upper edge and unsupported by other means. Eyewitnesses testify to extraordinary phenomena regarding changing features of the image. Since that time, many privileges and honors have granted to the shrine. Pope Pius XII dedicated his papacy to Our Lady of Good Counsel and composed a prayer to her. On April 22, 1903, Pope Leo XIII included the invocation “Mater boni consilii” (Mother of Good Counsel) into the Litany of Loreto. Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us!