Monte Berico Church

The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico  is a minor basilica standing at the top of a hill which overlooks the city of Vicenza.

According to the legend, the Blessed Virgin appeared on the hill twice to a peasant worker named Vincenza Pasini in 1426 and 1428. At this time in the Veneto, the people and economy had been suffering from a terrible plague for years. The Madonna promised that if the people of Vicenza built a church on the top of the hill she would rid them of the plague. The people kept their promise and the church was built in 3 months.

The original church later became a sanctuary. The original basilica has been restored repeatedly during the centuries, sometimes with famous architects such as Palladio, Piovene and Miglioranza. All these changes are still visible today.

The statue of the Virgin Mary was sculpted by Nicolò da Venezia in 1430, two years after the second apparition.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Viale X Giugno 23, Vicenza, Italy

Details

Founded: 1435
Category: Religious sites in Italy