The mosaic of the Virgin Mary at Pordenone Hospital
The mosaic, unveiled on Thursday 4 June 2026 in the entrance hall of the new hospital in Pordenone, is the work of the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli. It is an interpretation of an ancient icon, the Madonna and Child Nursing, 16th–17th centuries (31×38 cm), now housed in the city’s Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. The choice was dictated by the link between the hospital and this image: the Marian icon was originally housed in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Pordenone, from which the nearby medieval hospital, run by the Confraternita dei Battuti, took its name.
The mosaic that now adorns the entrance hall of the ‘Santa Maria degli Angeli’ hospital is a large panel (220×71 cm), executed using the direct technique with Venetian and gold enamels. It depicts the Madonna holding the Child in her arms, with two angels above bearing the symbols of the Passion. It was donated to the AS FO (Western Friuli Health Authority) and the citizens of Pordenone by Banca 360 Credito Cooperativo FVG and Bortolus Mediazioni Immobiliari, who covered all the costs of its creation.
The choice of subject matter, as well as its location, lend the work a profound significance: as well as evoking the hospital’s historical roots in care and compassion, it offers healthcare workers and members of the public the gentle, understanding gaze of the mother par excellence – the Virgin Mary – offering help and support. It represents a haven, protection and comfort in a place where human frailty is experienced and felt, and furthermore it affirms the values of brotherhood and solidarity that the figure of the Virgin Mary represents for both the Christian and Muslim communities. The choice of materials, the gold background, and its elevated position in a spacious, high-traffic area ensure that the mosaic acquires importance and value for the entire community.
In addition to Giuseppe Tonutti, Director General of AS FO (Western Friuli Health Authority), and representatives of the healthcare staff, the opening ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of Pordenone, Alessandro Basso, the Regional Councillor for Health, Riccardo Riccardi; the Chairman of Banca 360 Credito Cooperativo FVG, Luca Occhialini; the owners of Bortolus Mediazioni Immobiliari, Luciano and Stefano Bortolus; the Chairman of Credima SMS, Siro Carniello; the Director of the nursing care facility, Rosanna Finos; the Chairman and Director of the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli, Stefano Lovison and Gian Piero Brovedani, and the Bishop of Pordenone, Monsignor Giuseppe Pellegrini, who concluded the ceremony by blessing the work.
Scenes from the unveiling of the mosaic in the entrance hall of the new hospital in Pordenone
June 5, 2026
