| A bizarre and famous facade shows the arms of Bishop Giustiniani, who wanted to build this shrine in 1602 and allocated also the summer residence of the Bishop and seminarians. The sources report: "There was a time outside the city walls a certain country chapel in which the wall was painted the image of the Virgin Mother of God called SANTA MARIA DE GRAZIA, where every Saturday a large crowd of people went to thank Our Lady for the pardon. The Bishop brought up the image closer to the city and in honor of the Blessed Virgin erected this famous temple, which increased devotion to Our Lady not only in the town of Gravina, but throughout the Province"(Vatican Secret Archives, Paper 374 A, 2 August 1611). |