Traditional destination for religious pilgrimages and more, it can be easily reached thanks to its marvelous Portico, which, with its 3.5 km, is the longest in the world and is punctuated by 666 arches, each marked with a progressive number... #UNESCO #tuttitaly
The Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca is a destination for religious pilgrimages linked to devotion to the Virgin and Child icon.
Externally in Baroque style, the Sanctuary has inside a raised presbytery, on top of which is the image of the Blessed Virgin.
History
The history of the Sanctuary is linked to the icon kept inside, which became a pilgrimage destination following the "miracle of the rain" of 5 July 1433.
At that time, the abundant spring rains threatened to ruin the crops. At that point, the jurisconsult Graziolo Accarisi promoted the descent of the icon to the Council of Elders to implore the grace for the end of the rains in front of the image. During the icon's entry into the city on July 5, the rain stopped; a grand celebration was then held with a three-day procession - celebrations which, since then, have been repeated every year.
Paths that lead to the Sanctuary
To protect the increasingly numerous pilgrims from the rain, it was decided to build a portico that would lead from Porta Saragozza to the Sanctuary.
With its 3.5 km, the portico is the longest in the world and is punctuated by 666 arches.
In 2021 the portico of San Luca was included by UNESCO among the porticoes of Bologna recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Another route leading to the Sanctuary is the Bregoli path, which has the parish church of San Martino as its starting point—the trail full of history and natural charm.
Kommentare