A warrior Mary: the Madonna delle Milizie of Scicli

In Donnalucata, Marina di Scicli, there is a sanctuary dedicated to a rather curious iconography of the Madonna. It is called the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Milizie, because here the Mother of Jesus Christ is depicted as a fighter who wields a drawn sword and is on horseback. This image is linked to a legend that tells how, at the time of the Saracen raids, Maria appeared one day to defend the people of Scicli who had fled. In the sanctuary there is a painting depicting the scene, a copy of the original. At the side of the Madonna is Count Ruggero d'Altavilla. Inside the church, however, there is also a statue of the Madonna holding the child in her arms and a dove in her hand, a reminder of peace. It is thought that the particular image of the fighting Madonna is linked to the period of the Turkish raids and also to the tradition of the puppet theater, which staged the exploits of Orlando Furioso. In 1602, in fact, a ceramic floor was created in the sanctuary where figures of the chanson de geste were shown.