No precise information is available on its origins. What is certain is that in 1181, Bishop Gregory of Forlimpopoli granted this church known as Madonna del Lago to the Camaldolese monks of Urano.
The church apparently stood near a stream and, according to legend, some clerics successfully snatched the miraculous image out of Constantinople’s iconoclasts’ possession. The cult and devotion of local people for this image, painted in gold on canvas applied to a table, is still today one of the relics dearest to religious memory.
In 1279, the church was enlarged and consecrated; since that year, the feast of the Virgin Mary has been celebrated every Sunday after Ascension with a solemn procession to the cathedral.
The sanctuary that has come down to us is in Baroque style, in the form of a Greek cross with three naves, with arches resting on four pillars and eight side columns.
Between 1702 and 1714, major extension and embellishment work was carried out again, including the rich stucco decoration in the present apsis. The monumental exterior façade was completed by Giulio Zambianchi in 1745.
The church has no bell tower, which was demolished in the 20th century for stability reasons. In 1793, the Sacred Congregation of Rites validated her title as the main patron saint of the country, a title that had been recognised by the people for centuries.
Open from Monday to Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. / Winter Masses: Saturday 5:30 p.m. – Sunday 11 a.m. / Summer: Saturday 6:30 p.m. – Sunday 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.
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