Show i A SINGULAR HALLUCINATION I I I Apparition of the Madonna ix cithsiR tilt Itnllnn Prawnntry j A remarkable outbreak of religious hallucination I hal-lucination has been spreading during the I past month near Piaconza where the I mountain village of Corano has it is alleged al-leged been the scene of a miraculous appearance I ap-pearance of the Madonna To this lonely I spot destitute of railway and telegraphic j I I communication thousands are now fockI j I ing from all directions Men as well as I women are falling upon the ground in a I I I I delirium of supplication kissing tho stones weeping laughing singing and many fainting or falling into convulsions and some lying in a state of ecstatic S trance The particulars that have 1 j hitherto reached us have been vague and j imperfect but the Stampa has now published I pub-lished the following from a correspondent I whom it had sent to the spot He writes 1 I Just a month ago a little girl eleven I j I years old Lesolina Lusenti grandchild j of the Corano bellringer declared that she had peon on the mountain road of the i Bo cono a most beautiful lady dressed in blue coming out of the wood who said i J My child I am the Madonna ChristI i i my Son has allowed me to come once I on earth He is weary of the iniquity of j man and I am weary of their incred1 i i 1 ulity I will stay wear tus place for a while j I among you and you shall come and adore me here and rebuild the oiitory which was once on + 1ris spot She then 1 1 disappeared but a few hour afterwards I all Corano knew what the girl had seen I I Some were incredulous but the reater I number did not for a moment discuss the I j I i voracity of the girls statement Deslina j yeract of the j j was hailed as tho favorite child I 1 Madonna and the whole population went out in procession to the spot at the I entrance of tho wood From that moment mo-ment there commenced a literal epidemic I of ecstacies and visions While I write I more than thirty little girls declare that i they have seen and are in direct communication I commu-nication with the Madonna To these i arc added men and women young and i old married and single I had scarcely i put my foot outside the walls of Piaconza 1 before I found that nothing was spoken the but the Madonna oi I of by people i Corano I can only compare thefrenzyoi i enthusiam with which all rush to Corano I Ho that of the Crusaders when about to I behold Jerusalem for the first time For round this village the country has miles rundthis viage tm cuntry mies I the appearance oftjie Tuscan Maremraa apparnce of at the time of the unfortunate prophet rcidosso David Lazzaretti Hanging i from the brandies ofjthe trees and on the t hedges on all sides are offerings presented by tW < mnt8 to the miraculous shrine which at present consists of a basket I I draped with three or four cloths on tileS towards proceed I roadside to the right as you wards CorRno Comno Hundreds and hundreds of persons i 1 the steep ascent un are seen laboring up of the July sun der the burning rays I scramble the bare rocks Some girls up 80le girl fcrmbe to suoDncating the Virgin with loud cries supplcatng appear unti they are faint with fatigue j I I Recovering their senses they Bay that they hear the voice of the Madonna j while all Iresentfahi on the ground kiss ing the earth with convulsive sobs and I floods of tears A profound impression is produced To aggravate matters women known t be hysterical sing laugh I and cry causing others to imitate them I While I write this thousands are throng ing hither from the valleys of the old duchies from Piedmont from Liguria from Lombardy The number is estimated r mated at 16000 The authorities are now interfering and it is high time Several doctors who have visited the place declare de-clare that the spread of this nallucina tion is likely to assume very alarming proportion Rome Letter to the London Times |