The Miraculous Flying House of Loreto: Spreading Catholicism in the Early Modern World

Description

In 1295, a house fell from the evening sky onto an Italian coastal road by the Adriatic Sea. Inside, awestruck locals encountered the Virgin Mary, who explained that this humble mud-brick structure was her original residence newly arrived from Nazareth. To keep it from the hands of Muslim invaders, angels had flown it to Loreto, stopping three time

Karin Velez is associate professor of history at Macalester College.

"Winner of the John Gilmary Shea Prize, American Catholic Historical Association" "Winner of the Best First Book in the History of Religions, American Academy of Religion" "Karin Velez's study of the cult of the Virgin of Loreto brilliantly encapsulates the current historiography of the Counter-Reformation. . . . Velez's prose is lyrical and her true gift is that of a storyteller."---Jan Machielsen, Times Literary Supplement "Velez has written a well-researched, thoughtful book that will be a permanent contribution to the mythohistory of Loreto."---David D'Andrea, Journal of Early Modern History