Our Lady of Pompei European Wall Art

Our Lady of Pompeii is an Italian jacquard wall tapestry. Five minutes from the ruins of Pompeii, Italy, the great Roman city destroyed by the volcano of Mt. Vesuvius, there is a an area called Valle di Pompeii where the town of Campania is located. In the shadow of the ancient volcano, a Marian Shrine was erected in the latter half of the 1800s. The shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, named for the Marian image elevated on its high altar.

The image represents the Virgin Mary enthroned. She is the reigning Madonna. She reigns but she is herself the throne of the King of kings, Jesus Christ, her son. He extends his blessing hand and at the same time bestows the blessing of the rosary on the saint at his feet. The Pompeii image is a derivation of the Eastern icon type traced back to the sixth century. Both in the East and West, the image represents Mary as Queen of Heaven. The throne is usually situated in a church, as is this one in the image of Our Lady of Pompeii.