It was an autumn afternoon, the 13^th of November 1875, when the group of the faithful, who used to gather in the valley of Pompeii to pray the Rosary together with the Neapolitan Bartolo Longo, saw appearing a barrow usually used for the transport of manure. The carter, a certain Angelo Tortora, stopped in front of what was remaining of the church of SS. Salvatore, used as a parish for the very few souls living in the countryside at the feet of the Vesuvius, and disposed an square object wrapped in a blanket.