The “Madonna dei debitori” depopulated on Facebook

Thousands of people posted on “their” Facebook page so many messages to denounce the difficult economic situation in which they live and, above all, to blame the banking system.

The page dedicated to her is being depopulated on Facebook, so much so that in a short time it has collected almost 10,000 “likes”. A surprising number, if one takes into account that it is neither a showbiz character nor a consecrated athlete, but rather a sacred image: an old painting that represents the Virgin with the Child, also unknown to most people until it landed on the social network.

The icon’s success, which has surpassed the pages of other more famous ones on Like, such as Divine Love in Rome or Medjugorje, could have a reason linked to the present day. In fact, its owner, the Roman psychologist and artist Gilberto Di Benedetto, renamed it “Madonna dei debitori”, who has long been embroiled in a cultural battle over the problems of banks and debt..

About 10 years ago, Di Benedetto bought a cave near the Bassano Romano square, during the restoration work an old wooden urn sprinkled with tar came to light, inside

of which there was a canvas representing the Virgin with the forehead and lips stained with blood. , holding three white roses in her right hand, while in her left hand she holds the Child, whose head is surrounded by a particular halo.

The painting, dated between 1500 and 1700, was in good condition, probably because it was protected by the urn that enclosed it. However, it has undergone a long and complex golden restoration for 3 years. At first, influenced by the blood that gushes from the Virgin’s forehead and lips, Di Benedetto called it Madonna del Sangue. Later, however, he renamed it Madonna dei debitori. “It was an inspiration – he explains – born from the observation of the great suffering inflicted on people, Italy and the world by the debt mechanism”.

A name, Madonna dei debitori, which attracted as soon as it spread on the Web the attention of thousands of people, who posted the same number of messages on the facebook page to denounce the difficult economic situation in which they live and, above all, to blame the banking system.