For the construction of the Sanctuary, an international competition was organized in which 100 architects of 17 nationalities participated. The winners of the competition were two French architects: Michel Andrualt and Pierre Parat.The temple, begun in 1988, was inaugurated on 6 November 1994 by Saint John Paul II, invited by Archbishop Mons. Giuseppe Costanzo, now Archbishop Emeritus of Syracuse.The Sanctuary is approximately 103 meters high; 94.30 meters starting from the walking surface. Excluding the chapels it has a diameter of 71.40 metres. It has a capacity of 6,000 standing places and approximately 4,000 seats.

The enormous ceremonial “hall” is covered in marble that reflects the star: the Virgin Mary of the morning, which precedes the rising of the sun – Jesus.The shape of the Sanctuary is the subject of various interpretations. The architects aimed to structurally realize the concept and sense of elevation of humanity towards God. Other meanings attributed to its shape are those of: lighthouse, identifiable with Mary who leads towards the port that is Jesus; tent within which the Mother welcomes her children to lead them to the Father; tear falling from the sky.At the top of the Sanctuary you can observe, housed in the rays, a statue of the Madonna, in gilded bronze, which fully reproduces the image of the Little Picture that cried. The statue is approximately 3 meters high and weighs 600 kg. The design is by Francesco Caldarella. Mary is represented with her arms stretched out towards the main entrance, as if to welcome her children into the Father’s house.

The Miraculous Picture

The circularity of the single immense room finds unity, for the pilgrim’s gaze, in the white marble on which the Altar is placed, behind which emerges the wall that houses the reliquary inside which the Painting of the Madonna delle Lacrime is kept.