How did this initiative arise?

 

In 1988 the Armata Bianca decided to do something for unborn babies, and for this purpose it established the Armata Bianca’s branch of the Pro-Life Movement in Aquila, which in May of the same year organized a Week for Life.

Since we wanted to make a statement that went beyond the sterile controversy, all the members of the Movement made a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Roio near Aquila, following the Via Mariana which is so dear to the hearts of all the inhabitants of Aquila: a mountain path along which there are 15 valuable niches with mosaics of the Vatican School portraying the 15 mysteries of the Rosary.

 

After the fifth sorrowful mystery, shortly before the first glorious mystery, one of the participants noticed a stone which looked like the reproduction of a fetus carved with extreme accuracy. This was the answer to our request: Jesus’ victory began after His death and resurrection; the battle for life had to be fought after death. From this we got the idea of aiming at the burial of unborn babies, so that man could realize the value of life right from the moment of conception.

After performing numerous burials for almost two years, we thought of erecting a small monument for these little brothers of ours which would remind everyone of their dignity of children of man.

 

 

We were at the cemetery, in the area reserved for children, to choose a place for the monument of Mary Mother of the Unborn. Suddenly a ray of light pointed it out to us.