Our Lady of Shkodra

- Our Good Lady's Legend
... the icon 'flied' to Genazzano, Italy, where it is still there.

A copy of it, was donated to the Big Church of Shkodra, by Pope himself, when He paid a visit to Shkodra on 25 April 1993. The church Zoja e Shkodres has been restored by help of Vatican and now has a great mission for the spiritual life of people in Shkodra.
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The legend says that on the Feast of St. Mark, 1467, during a festival in Genazzano, Italy, a cloud descended upon an ancient 5th century detiorated church dedicated to Our Mother of Good Counsel. When the cloud disappeared, the festive crowd found a small, fragile picture of Our Lady with Her Child on a paper - thin sheet of plaster; the painting stood without support, floating, on a small ledge.

The church was restored and the painting was placed in it. The painting is believed to have been recovered from Scutari (Shkodėr), Albania. Much of the church was destroyed in World War II, but the picture remained intact and in place.

Many pilgrims visit the church in Genazzano, and many take part in the annual spring procession of spectacular beauty. The miraculous image is still, to this day, and has been for more than 500 years, suspended in the air by itself. Countless miracles have been attributed to the prayerful intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Zoja e Shkodrės is a symbolic icon of the town of Shkodra.