A beautiful 17th-century oratory near Pavullo nel Frignano.
If you happen to be in the vicinity of Pavullo, we recommend a visit to this small oratory located at Pratolino, near the village of Montecuccolo.
The story goes that, in the early 1600s, a certain Lippa Fabbri di Camatta had a vision in front of the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Meadow: the Virgin Mary wept and asked that an oratory be built there to increase devotion to the Cult of Mary through prayer.
The same woman had several apparitions, which she confessed to the parish priest Don Battista Tomasi. Lippa died in her nineties, and the local people, who were extremely devoted to the Holy Virgin, began the construction of the oratory. (Information by Claudio Bonucchi)
As one can imagine, news of the apparition caused a sensation at the time, and quickly spread throughout the area; it was soon decided that a sanctuary should be built to welcome the faithful.
The oratory is located in a truly unique setting, close to the mountain on which Montecuccolo Castle stands, making it possible to admire both at the same time.
The Oratory of Madonna del Pratolino is also the subject of a book written by historian Andrea Pini, and published by Adelmo Iaccheri – La Sorgente, which also tells of the tavern that once stood opposite.
A roadside inn was indeed opened and let out by the Montecuccoli family in the 18th century. It stood on a very busy road, and chronicles recount that it was the scene of all kinds of crimes: brawls, murders, violent fights and thefts. Despite its short existence, the Pratolino Tavern was one of the most infamous of the time, and the guards from the nearby fortress of Montecuccolo often had to intervene to settle quarrels, catch criminals or check up on acts of crime that had taken place there. The only remaining records of the tavern are the old documents kept in the State Archives of Modena, which provided the author with information for the stories published in this volume.
