The Catholic Defender: The Virgin Mary called herself the “Virgin of Revelation.”

The Marian Apparition at Tre Fontane

He carried this message to the Vatican. During his audience with Pius, Cornacchiola asked for forgiveness for his hatred against the Catholic Church after his conversion to Protestantism. This is what led him to plot against killing the Pope. He confessed to Pius that he even bought a dagger with the inscription “death to the pope.”

Cornacchiola’s reconversion launched his entrance into the “sheepfold,” the Catholic Church. His conversion was lasting.

“This place is a place of great conversion, a call to the truth of the Catholic Church,” explained Mother Rebecca Nazzaro, mother superior of the Missionaries of Divine Revelation, a religious order inspired by the message of the Virgin.

“The grotto of Tre Fontane was a place of ‘sin’ because it was a place of illicit meetings and also where the remains of aborted children were found. Therefore, Our Lady said, ‘With this soil of sin, I will work great miracles for the conversion of unbelievers and sinners,’” explained Sister Emanuela Edwards, a Missionary of Divine Revelation.

Behind the grotto there is a small corridor with a collection of photos, flowers, mementos and a carved plaque, left in gratitude to the Virgin. Toward the end of the corridor is the heart of the grotto, which marks the exact place the Virgin Mary disappeared from Cornacchiola, turning in the same direction as St. Peter’s Basilica. The converted man prayed there often to ask for particular intercessions.

They share this through the color of their habits and have become to be known as the “green nuns.”

“The Virgin meant something, even through these colors [that she wore in the apparition]. What did she want to explain? Her relationship with the Holy Trinity,” said Mother Rebecca. “Therefore, the Virgin Mary wants to express her precise relationship with the Holy Trinity also through the use of color.”

The Mother Superior continued to explain the significance of each color. Green is a symbol of creation, which stands for the Father, and the Virgin is the daughter of the Father. White symbolizes grace, and Mary is the Mother of the Son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit, as the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, is represented by the color pink.

The 15 sisters in the community focus on the formation of authentic Christian living through catechesis in the parish and in the family. They also share their message through their “Catechesis with Art” program, serving as official guides of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums.

“I bring the faith to the people through the art, not just the history,” Sister Emanuela said.

Sister Emanuela was a driven businesswoman based near Manchester, England, who found her vocation after a weekend trip to Rome with a friend. She visited the grotto, and from that moment, she had a sense that she was called to be like the “sisters in green.” She made her final profession on the anniversary of the apparition in 2015.

She emphasized of the grotto, “It is a special place.”

Rachel Lanz is the journalism intern for EWTN in Rome. She blogs at NCRegister.com.

Editor's Note: This story was updated after it was posted re: the process of approval for the apparition.