Pilgrimage to the Montevergine Shrine

In Mercogliano (highway exit signposted Avellino ovest), at the base of the Partenio mount, there is one of the most famous Virgin Mary places of worship in Italy, and also a national monument: the Montevergine shrine, that was founded by San Guglielmo the pilgrim.

The pilgrimage to the Montevergine shrine is one of the most famous paths in the world.

The Montevergine shrine complex today consists of the Basilica antica (Ancient Cathedral) that was erected on the remains of the older church dating back to 1126, that includes the cappella della Schiodazione (Unnailing chapel), the cappella della Madonna (Virgin Mary chapel) and the cappella del Torrione (Big Tower chapel), and the Basilica Cattedrale (Cathedral Church) that houses on its Throne the dipinto della Madonna (Virgin Mary painting) worshiped by believers.

Besides the Cathedrals, the Montevergine complex includes the cripta di San Guglielmo fondatore (San Guglielmo the founder’s crypt),  where the pilgrim’s remains lie and a room with former vows made by devoted pilgrims has been set up.

At the beginning, young unmarried girls used to walk the uphill twisting road to the Montevergine shrine braiding broom’s sticks so that Virgin Mary could help them finding a husband. If their prayers were satisfied within one year, they would come back to the shrine together with the husband to unknot the sticks.

Due to a miracle happened in 1200, a new cult appeared, the culto della Mamma Schiavona (Schiavona Mother cult), the Madonna dal volto nero (Black Face Virgin Mary) whose painting is inside the shrine, where it is worshiped especially by the LGBT community. According to legend, in 1200, during a cold winter night, a couple of gays was seen during petting and was immediately locked up on the mountain with some ice slabs. The Virgin Mary intervened and hit the ice with a ray of sunlight, setting the men free.

During the Candelora celebration, on Febraury 2nd, people worship the culto della Mamma Schiavona with the “juta dei femminielli” (femminiello is gay in local dialect), that is the partying pilgrimage of the LGBT community up to the shrine.

Usually, those who want to pilgrimage to the Montevergine shrine, first reach the hamlet of Ospedaletto d’Alpinolo and then walk the path of Mamma Schiavona. The path starts in the main square of Ospedaletto, follows the pilgrims path and reach the “sedia della Madonna” (Virgin Mary seat), that is a chair-shaped rock where believers use to rest for few moments.

Then, the uphill path proceeds and overtakes the Il Casone restaurant, ending up at the Funicolare di Montevergine (Montevergine funicular railway), where people can either keep walking to the shrine or have a 7 minutes ride on the funicular.

In winter, the funicolare di Montevergine is open only on Saturday and Sunday, whereas from June to September is open every day. There is a ride every 45 minutes; the one-way ticket is 5,00€, whereas the return ticket is 8,00€.