From Monterosso to the Sanctuary on foot
... learning a little of history

The slope to the Sanctuary of N. S. di Soviore is one of tge tipical hikes of this territory.

You leave from Monterosso climbing Roma road toward the north of the village untilyou reach an iron cross from which the ancient people mule-track begin. (It’s marked n. 9 by the C.A.I.). You walk through it with tranquillity admiring the view which continues enlarging behind the  you so much to get over the asphalt road: fron here you go in a thick pinery and the path is marked with the Misteries of the Via Crucis; just before arriving at the sanctuary the Capella del Ritrovamento is found.

The sanctuary, at 465m, is the most ancient sanctuary in Liguria and from its square you can admire the wonderful view that during north wind days allows you to enjoy the mountains of Corsica southward and the Alpi westward. Toward the Monviso, beyond Soviore plain. The wood statue of the “Madonna con il Bambino”, approsimatively in the 7th century realised, arrives at us through a troubled and singular history.

In 640, during the invasion of the Longobarde troops of Rotari, some inhabitants of the ancient suburb of Albereto, on the northward mountains of Monterosso hid the precious statue from the invaders and for more than century nearby the point where the sanctuary rises nowadays, noticed a white dove which flyed about before at the edges of the path the priest, struck by the fact.

Started to look for the dove, clearing the way through the brombles and felt a mysterious and intense smell from a big stone.. He understood that he couldn’t move that stone on his own and went to look for some help; with the collaboration of some peasants of the suburb he moved the big stone and with wonder he found himself in front of the statue of the Madonna. He started to pray, but got immobilized to such a point that the peasants who had helped him went to look for some help, but on their return the statue was there nomore and the priest could not explain the fact. The researches restarted till the day of the finding again of the statue end a little higher near a big chestnut tree.

None move the statue anymore and a little chapel (named “del Ritrovamento”) was built around it, and the same became with time,  the current sanctuary. In 1000, Ottone the III, while he was beeding for Rome to get the crown of emperor, stopped in Chiesanuova di Levanto, guest at Zattera’s, a devoted family to the Madonna as well as everybody in the village. He decided to pay homage to the Madonna to get big consolation and wisdom from her.

The statue crowned on Augst the 10th, 1749 is brought in pilgrimage to Monterosso every 25 years for the solemn Jubilee celebration to which the people are very devoted.