The Mystery of the Madonna of Bra (II)

The "Madonna dei fiori" (Our Lady of Flowers) of Bra with its winter blossom that have reoccurred for 685 years (1), is an authentic scientific enigma.

The original blackthorn bushes (prunus spinosa) are protected by an iron fence. They belong to the species of flowering plants in the rose family Rosaceae and normally flower only once a year, beginning in March if the season is mild, or in April if it is colder.

Since the 17th century, scientific investigations (including some conducted by the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Turin) have established that the miraculous blackthorn is identical in every way to the common bushes that are found everywhere in the region.

The soil is also similar. There is no geophysical cause, no electromagnetic or hydraulic underground currents that can explain the extraordinary winter flowering, which only happens to these particular bushes. Moreover, they are facing north, and therefore enjoy less sunshine and warmth than many similar plants in Italy.

(1) See A Moment with Mary of April 11, explaining the apparition of the Virgin Mary to a young pregnant woman in 1336.

Vittorio Messori

Excerpt from Ipotesi su Maria (Hypotheses on Mary)