Civitavecchia is located about 70 km from Rome and is a seaport. One of the suburbs of this city (Pantano) became famous because a small statue of the Virgin of Medjugorje, since then called "La Madonnina di Civitavecchia" cried tears of blood fifteen times between February 2 and March 15, 1995.

 

The parish of Saint Augustine in Pantano has been erected into a Marian shrine since March 15, 2005 by a decree of the bishop of the diocese, Mgr Grillo. In addition, the current bishop, Mgr Luigi Marcucci crowned the Madonnina on April 26, 2014 on the occasion of a pontifical mass concelebrated with the bishop emeritus Mgr Grillo, the archbishop Giovanni Marra and many priests of the diocese.

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Following the lachrymations, the Gregory family to whom the statue belongs also witnessed the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in particular Father Fabio and daughter Jessica. These apparitions  continue to this day.

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Who is the father of Fabio Gregory, witness to the lacrymations of the Madonnina? An electrician by trade, he was approached by Jehovah's Witnesses in the spring of 1994 and began to distance himself from the Catholic faith. However, this did not last. In order to give thanks for his return to the Catholic faith, he asked the priest of his parish for a small statue of the Virgin. This is how Don Pablo Martin Sanguiano bought the requested statue in Medjugorje in September 1994. On his return from his pilgrimage, he carried it in procession and put it in a small stone niche in the garden of the Gregori family.

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On February 2, 1995, on the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of Mary, this small statue began to cry tears of blood. Fabio, the father was 32 at the time, his wife 31, their daughter Jessica was 5 and their son David was 2. The priest of the parish is informed and the parish priest notices the lacrymation. The news spreads quickly especially as the parish priest announces the event to his parishioners the next day during Mass. “In our small community, something extraordinary is happening right now. A statue of the Virgin is crying tears of blood. Let’s not let this sign fade away. "

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More lacrymations followed. The crowd is at the Gregory's house to pray in front of the statue. Traffic jams occur in front of their house. Police officers arrive to see what is happening and they too witness the tear gas.

 

A theological commission is formed to study the facts. The last tear took place in the hands of Bishop Grillo. He said: “It is true, Our Lady wept into my hands and there were four or five witnesses. I had just celebrated my Mass, it was 8.15 am on March 15th. I picked up the statuette and, as I recited the Salve Regina, she began to cry before my eyes. "

 

The analyses proved that this blood is human blood, male type. The small statue was scientifically examined and it was proven that there was no rigging.

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Bishop Grillo then decided to place, on June 17, 1995, the statuette to the right of the church in a niche specially designed for the occasion. A large glass shrine surrounds this niche so that it is protected. On the face of the Madonnina, we can see traces of pink which seem indelible and which recall those tears of blood.

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The faithful come to pray in front of the statue and Bishop Grillo mentioned cases of unexplained healings and numerous conversions, in particular those of Jehovah's Witnesses.

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How to come to Pantano? If you are in Rome, go to Rome Termini station and then take a train to Civitavecchia. From the station, walk to the cathedral. Opposite there is a bus station that takes you to Pantano. Ask for a stop at the Saint-Augustine church.