A New Monumental Statue of Our Lady of Loreto to be Erected on the Coast of Croatia

“This project is unique in Croatia and beyond,” the municipality said.

The statue of Our Lady of Loreto is built on the coast of Primošten, which is known for its vineyards, its beaches, and its medieval village, 27 kilometers (17 miles) south of Šibenik. In clear weather it should be visible from the Italian coast. The inhabitants of Primošten have a special devotion to Our Lady of Loreto. Every year, on May 9-10, a traditional procession in honor of the Blessed Virgin is held around the boats and the coastline.

The statue is being constructed with the collaboration of Cammini Lauretani association, which works to connect the Marian shrines throughout Europe, under the sponsorship of the Cultural Itinerary of the Council of Europe. Stipe Petrina, mayor of Primošten, means to develop perpetual religious tourism in this way. The municipality has not yet announced a date for the inauguration of the statue, but its pedestal made of cut stone is practically finished.

There are many shrines, churches and confraternities dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto in Europe. The shrine of Our Lady of Loreto in Loreto (the province of Ancona in the Marches) is one of the most visited Marian shrines in Italy. Inside is the Sancta Casa, the Holy House of Nazareth, the scene of the Annunciation. The Holy House contains the statue of the Black Madonna of Loreto. The original statue, destroyed in a fire in 1921, was replaced the following year by a copy made of Lebanese cedar wood from the Vatican Gardens, the work of the artist Leopoldo Celani. Our Lady of Loreto was proclaimed Patroness of aviators by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, in keeping with the tradition that the Holy House was transported by angels from Nazareth to Lourdes, thus becoming the symbol of human flight.