Patrizia Cattaneo

MIRACLES, HEALINGS AND CONVERSIONS
AT THE SHRINE OF
“MADONNA DELLO SCOGLIO”

Fratel Cosimo and the apparitions of the Virgin Mary
Fratel Cosimo Fragomeni was born in 1950 in Santa Domenica di Placanica, a village of Calabria, one of the poorest regions in Italy. From an early age he was a committed Roman Catholic and when he was 18, he reported to the village priest, don Rocco Gregorace, having had four visions in which the Mother of God, standing on a rock (the “Scoglio”), appeared to him. The first of these visions took place on the 11th May 1968. The Virgin Mary asked Cosimo to transform that valley into a shrine in order to bring people closer to God.

For that reason on the rock of the apparition, Cosimo built a little chapel, and called the shrine “Madonna dello Scoglio” (that means “Our Lady of the Rock”) because the Virgin Mary appeared to him on the top of the rock. He also placed a marble statue of Our Lady on the rock of the apparitions. Pilgrims come from all over the world to pray and touch the sacred rock, through the metal fencing that circumscribes it, testifying great miracles and conversions.

Shortly after the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Cosimo began to lead prayer and healing sessions for pilgrims and many people were cured from diseases. Although he had received little formal education, he was admitted to the lay order of the Franciscan brothers with the name of "Fratel Cosimo” (that means "brother Cosimo"). He leads a mystical life, living in solitude in a house near the apparition rock, fasting and praying like an hermit, and avoiding any sense of celebrity.
Fratel Cosimo is a man of God, appreciated by his Bishop for his obedience and humility to the Catholic Church. Fratel Cosimo emphasizes prayer as the primary vehicle for opening oneself to God and for receiving spiritual and physical healing.
Thanks to the donations of the pilgrims, the shrine grounds and facilities have been expanded. A foundation and a rosary prayer group have been established and on the 8th December 2007 the local Bishop Mons. Morosini, declared the “Scoglio” official Catholic shrine.

The mysterious painting of Our Lady of the Rock
In the small chapel built by Fratel Cosimo, there is a stunning painting of the Virgin Mary, painted by the local painter Ilario Tarsitani, following Fratel Cosimo's suggestions. Apparently, the artist had painted the body of the Madonna according to the indications of Fratel Cosimo and was about to begin painting the face, but he found himself unable to do it. He simply could not work further. He put the painting aside, took a new canvas and began again by painting the body, but he could not do the face. The same problem occurred with a third canvas and the painter had to surrender. Discouraged, he asked Fratel Cosimo what to do and was told: “Don’t worry, the Mother of God will think of it.” The day after Fratel Cosimo, caming back to his house, found the painter in tears and the painting finished. The artist denied having worked on it during the previous night, concluding that it was a miracle and that the Virgin Mary painted her face by herself.

Weekly prayer sessions
Fratel Cosimo and his community of about 60 volunteers on Saturday and Wednesday preside devotional services that attract thousands of pilgrims coming from Italy and abroad. Special Masses are held from June to October, and nearly 50,000 people attend the Mass on the 11 of May, the anniversary of the first apparition of the Mother of God to Fratel Cosimo. During the winter months, services at the shrine begin at 3:00 PM, and during the summer at 4:30 PM. The average service lasts about four hours and involves singing, praying, recitation of the rosary, testimonies and concludes with a healing prayer from Fratel Cosimo and final blessing to the pilgrims, to pictures of sick people, to objects of devotion (medals, rosaries…), to clothes and handkerchiefs for the sick persons.
His blessing, as well as the water springing from the sacred rock and the contact with the rock itself, engender several healings, concerning people with multiple sclerosis, terminal cancers and other incurable diseases too.
Thousands of scientific and clinical data support the healing phenomena.

Private audience with Fratel Cosimo
Before the service, on Saturday and Wednesday, Fratel Cosimo holds private meetings with 90 individuals who had previously asked for an appointment by phone (for asking for a private audience call the phone number +39 0964 3807 02 only on Tuesday from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM).
The private audience with Fratel Cosimo lasts no more than two minutes and one can ask him only one question. His charisma of prophecy generally allows him to know the problems of people just before they speak. The short audience ends with his blessing. Many pilgrims that visit privately with Fratel Cosimo for prayer and counsel, appear to achieve some degree of emotional comfort and recovery.

PICTURES:

Fratel Cosimo

The rock of apparitions

Saint Michael, the patron of the Scoglio

Statue of Our Lady of the Rock

Rita Tassone, an ex paralyzed woman that completely recovered at the Scoglio

The miracolous painting of Our Lady of the Rock

PHONE NUMBERS


For general information:
+ 39 0964 738095
+ 39 0964 738136
+ 39 0964 82795


For a short private audience with Fratel Cosimo:

+39 0964 3807 02
Call only on Tusday from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Reservation is required to meet him.

ADDRESS

Address of the shrine "Madonna dello Scoglio" :
Fratel Cosimo
c/o Fondazione Madonna dello Scoglio
Contrada Santa Domenica
89040 Placanica (RC)
Italy

official website: www.madonnadelloscoglio.com
email: comunitamadonnadelloscoglio@yahoo.it

How to reach the shrine
The nearest airport is that of Lamezia Terme.
Then the best solution to reach the village of Santa Domenica di Placanica is to rent a car.
On Google Map you can find the map with the details of the road.
The village is about 10 km far from the coast village of Caulonia.