Legend of Our Lady of the Snow in Francofonte
It is said that some hunters were in the Passaneto district when suddenly their dogs pointed around a large bush. The hunters, believing that game was hidden in the bramble, cut the branches with their scythes. To their amazement, among the brambles they found a painting depicting the Madonna with a bloody eyebrow and they realized that even the tip of a scythe was bloody. A Crucifix was later found together with the painting.
To establish who would get the precious and heavenly gift, they decided to place the painting and the Crucifix on their ox-drawn cart, and let the Madonna decide which place she wanted to go . The oxen took the road towards Francofonte. On their way, being tired, they knelt down. It was then that a source of fresh water arose from the ground, which still exists today and is known as a funtana viti, thanks to which the oxen recovered and continued their journey. They stopped at the Church of the Annunziata, the Crucifix was then brought down, and immediately the oxen resumed their journey up to the gates of the town. When the cart arrived in front of the Mother Church it stopped and it began to snow in the middle of August 5th. It was then that the image of the Madonna depicted in the picture was recognized as the Our Lady of the Snow.
