Page 6 - 2019 CI-AMA Ad Book

Maria SS. di Buteritto
MADONNA DI BUTERRITO (Brief Story)
In the year 726, Byzantine emperor Leon III Isauric, ordered a ferocious destruction of all sacred icons of Jesus and the Blessed Mary.
The St. Basil friars attempted and successfully saved as many icons as they possibly could and in many cases jeopardizing their own lives, by secretly transporting them from the Orient to the East. The friars that journeyed successfully to our area found refuge in caves along the road from Ceglie to Valenzano, precisely behind where today the cemetery is located, known as contrada (area) di Buterrito. In those caves they found cover, safety and a place where they could continue to venerate the icons they brought and the new ones they painted applying the same style and technique.
During the IX century, destruction of all sacred icons (iconoclasty) ceased. This allowed the friars to come out of the caves and to venerate openly and to start building monasteries in which they relocated all their beautiful and sacred work. Unfortunately some could not be moved because the images ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣ were left as proof that in time, those caves for decades were prayer locales and places of refuge for entire friar communities.
The legend tells us of a group of youngsters playing in the area descended in one of the many caves in the area, and were attracted by a beautiful image that had been painted on the limestone wall. The news of the finding quickly spread through the townspeople who imagined a miracle and promised her eternal faith and devotion. The cult continued to be venerated within the cave for a long time, but apparently it was getting harder to continue because the cave could not accommodate the ever growing faithful populace.
Annual Dinner Dance