Noble Congregation of Maria SS. of Monte Carmelo in Palmi - RC

Congregation of Maria SS. of Mount Carmel

The foundation of the Confraternity of the Venerable SS. Maria del Carmine di Palmi, in the province of Reggio Calabria, dates back to the refugees of Messina, who were in a small church that was the original seat of a modest Carmelite convent, abolished by the famous Bull of Innocent X of 1652. In the past it was he believed that the Confraternity had been founded in 1777, until the historian Antonio De Salvo set the date at 1540, assigning the birth to the Provincial Master Angelo Emiliano. But even this date is wrong, because the Province of Calabria was created with the dismemberment of the Neapolitan one which took place in 1574 with the first Vicar, the same Emiliano. It is true, however, that it was put back on its feet in 1737 under the Priory of Mastro Gaetano La Rocca and by the Reverend priest Don Antonio Attinà, with the date of birth to be ascribed to about half a century earlier. This Congregation or Confraternity was founded by the devotion of the Magnificent Tomaso Salvatore, who in the name of the Confratelli, begging the kindness of Mons. Bishop of Mileto, on 8 July 1689, obtained its dispensation. In that year, on the day of the Glorious Saint Albert, Patriarch of the Carmelite Religion, falling on 7 August, the Magnificent Savior himself was elected by acclamation as Head and Governor. After, having formed the rules to be observed in the Congregation itself and approved by Mons. Carmelite religion, that is, Saint Albert of Trapani. For the Messinesi the cult towards this saint was immense as it is said that in 1300, being the city besieged by Roberto, Duke of Calabria, the citizens, tormented by hunger, resorted to Sant'Alberto, who then lived in the city, so that would help. After the Saint raised his prayers, three ships loaded with grain appeared on the horizon and managed to enter the port undisturbed, despite the surveillance of the besiegers.