The town of Mompilieri in the territory of Mascalucia was erased from the face of the earth by the devastating eruption of 1669, when Catania itself was also reached and destroyed by the fiery river. The 11-metre high lava flow burned and buried everything, except for the marble statue of the Madonna.

Immediately after the discovery of the statue on 18 August 1704, the sanctuary was rebuilt. The ancient Major Church dedicated to Our Lady of the Annunziata, which was located not far from today's church, was probably built in the 12th- 13th century and perhaps it was a Templar station — an unverified theory. There is news of a basilica with three naves with beautiful statues, works by A. Gaggini and A.Gabriello, which unfortunately were lost forever.

From the date of its prodigious discovery, the Madonna delle Grazie di Mompilieri, later called Madonna della Sciara, became a place of worship for the faithful who attend him every year to commemorate the devastating event.