La Madonna del Buon Consiglio e la storia del legame tra Genazzano e l'Albania

In brief

Pope Leo XIV will visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Buon Consiglio in Genazzano near Rome on the afternoon of September 7, 2026. This marks his second visit to the sanctuary.

Tradition holds that the image of the Madonna with the Bambino traveled from a church in Scutari, Albania, to Genazzano on April 25, 1467. Two Albanians reportedly accompanied the image during its journey. For centuries, two families of Albanian origin in Genazzano have identified themselves as descendants of those pilgrims.

Albanian devotees maintain a connection to the site, marking the location of the original church near the confluence of the Bojana and Drini rivers. This history drives frequent pilgrimages to Genazzano and a traditional prayer asking the Mother of Good Counsel to return to Albania. The current basilica stands on a site that has hosted a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary since the 11th century. In 1356, the Colonna family, the lords of Genazzano, entrusted the church to friars.