By Charles Igwe
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has accepted a decree from Bishop Francesco Oliva, approving the spiritual activities at the Shrine of the Madonna dello Scoglio (“Our Lady of the Rock”) in southern Italy. This marks the DDF’s fourth public pronouncement on alleged apparitions since introducing norms for discerning “alleged supernatural phenomena” in May.
According to the new regulations, local bishops must seek final approval from the Vatican after investigating and judging alleged apparitions and related devotions. In a letter dated July 5 and published Tuesday, the DDF acknowledged Bishop Oliva’s “positive report on the spiritual good” occurring at the shrine in the Locri-Gerace diocese. The dicastery confirmed that nothing prevents Catholics from visiting and participating in the shrine’s devotions and liturgies.
While the DDF affirmed the bishop’s recognition of the spiritual experiences at the shrine, it clarified that this does not constitute a judgment on the supernatural nature of the alleged apparitions of “Our Lady of the Rock.” The letter, signed by DDF prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and approved by Pope Francis, emphasized this point.
The Marian shrine, located in the village of Santa Domenica in Calabria, was constructed around a boulder where Mary allegedly appeared to 18-year-old Cosimo Fragomeni in May 1968. Since its official construction in 2016, the sanctuary, known locally as “the little Lourdes of Calabria,” has attracted a growing number of pilgrims seeking physical healing.
Fragomeni, who is still living, has documented his mystical experiences in approximately 30 letters and meets with visitors twice a week. The DDF instructed the local bishop to clarify in his decree that the approval of the shrine’s spiritual activities does “not imply any judgment—either positive or negative—on the lives of the persons involved in this case.” Any further messages from Fragomeni should be made public only with the bishop’s approval.
The Vatican’s doctrinal office confirmed the “nihil obstat” judgment of the diocesan bishop, indicating no critical or risky elements have been found at the apparition site. Instead, there are signs of grace and spiritual conversion.
The DDF quoted Bishop Oliva’s letter, which highlighted the positive spiritual fruits evident at the shrine, including prayer, conversions, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, acts of charity, and healthy devotion. The dicastery noted that in a secularized world, the pilgrims at the Shrine of the Rock are a powerful sign of faith and a renewed proclamation of the kerygma can continue to enrich this spiritual experience.
