In Vercelli's cathedral, the Basilica of Sant'Eusebio, is the Romanesque statue of the Madonna and Child, at the bottom of the cathedral's left aisle, the only remaining intact piece of the ancient church.
About the fact that there is a large livid spot on the left cheek of Our Lady, as if the statue had received a blow, several stories circulate around the city.
One tradition says that in the 1200s a certain drinker, because he was left without a chance to satisfy his passion for a woman, hit the statue of Our Lady with a slap right on the left cheek.
The faithful of Vercelli, on the other hand, swear that the dark spot on Our Lady's cheek is the sign of a slap that a gambler gave the statue in the 16th century after losing money at gambling. At this point, the player, unable to leave the church, would then be executed.
Since then the statue became a destination for worship, particularly during epidemics and calamities.
Foto @alessandra.corra
Archivio @regione.piemonte
