This will be one of the first posts of a place that I have explored and that I have divided into various points of interest in order to thoroughly investigate each point.
https://w3w.co/coriandolo.rotolo.scenda
Hello friends of this beautiful community,
today I would like to tell you about my little trip last Saturday. Usually, at the weekend, I like to organise small outings and trips to discover the places around my city. This time I decided to take my parents, who are very religious, to visit a shrine they had not been to for quite some time. This article will be just one of many that I will write about this shrine, as there are many things to discover and learn more about this sacred place, including a bit of history.
Many people think that sanctuaries and other holy places always arise in places of apparitions or where particular things have happened concerning statues of madonnas. However, in the case of the Chiampo Sanctuary, it was built on a pre-existing church and developed thanks to the large Franciscan presence in the area. Pilgrims could stop here to pray or even just for a hot meal. In fact, the first thing built here was the ancient parish church, which you can see in the first photos I have shared in this article.
The Chiampo Sanctuary is a very important place for the local community and for many other believers who come from different parts of Italy. It is a place of peace and prayer, where one can admire works of art of great value and pray before statues of saints and madonnas. There are also many activities organised throughout the year, such as pilgrimages, solemn masses, processions and other religious events.
In this article of mine, I wanted to share with you just a taste of what you will find if you visit the Chiampo Sanctuary. There are still so many things to discover and to tell, which is why I will continue to write more articles about this sacred place.
The Chiampo Sanctuary is undoubtedly a place of great spirituality and devotion, but the most interesting point, in my opinion, is the Lourdes grotto. As you can see from the pictures shared, there is a faithful replica of the grotto of Lourdes located in France, where the apparition of the Virgin Mary took place in 1858. Blessed Claudius, a Franciscan friar, had a vision in a dream that many pilgrims would come to this place to pray and, with great skill and devotion, decided to build this grotto with his own hands.
It took almost five years of work, but in the end the result was a marvellous grotto carved out of a block of Carrara marble, in which a nearly six-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary is placed. Next to the grotto is also the tomb of Blessed Claudius, who wished to be buried in that place that was so important for him and for all believers.
The Chiampo Sanctuary has become a very popular place of worship, and next to the grotto it is possible to buy candles to light next to the statue of the Madonna, which cost about €1.50. This is also a way of economically supporting the place, which needs constant maintenance and attention.
In conclusion, the Grotto of Lourdes is one of the highlights of the Chiampo Sanctuary, and is a symbol of faith and devotion for all believers. The work and dedication of Blessed Claudio made it possible to create a place of great beauty and spirituality, which today is the destination of numerous pilgrimages and visits.
Near the grotto, which is the best known part of the sanctuary, there is a fountain where the water is considered miraculous. However, I must confess that when I approached, I did not smell it. But this is only my personal impression; many still believe in its healing power.
Although I am not a believer, I must say that this place has a special charm. The perfect couple of the Lourdes grotto is a work of art that strikes the imagination of anyone who sees it. And then there is the art: part of the bedroom of the humble person who made this work has been turned into a museum. In the future, I will also publish a full video on this subject.
I have noticed that the shrine is losing some appeal even among the faithful and pilgrims. Of course, the fact that we were there on a Saturday and that most religious services take place on Sundays may have contributed to the fact that there were very few people. However, it made me realise that the new generations are less attached to faith than in the past.
In any case, I reiterate that this place should also be seen as a place related to art and culture. I hope my first post on this holy place has been interesting for you and I hope you have enjoyed the photos I have published. See you in the next post and have a good day.
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the environment seems to be thriving here! 🥰 thanks for sharing
thank you