The history of the sanctuary of the Madonna di Pietrasanta in San Giovanni a Piro is linked, as often happens with sacred places, to an apparition. It is said that at this point the Virgin Mary appeared to two poor shepherd children, who had lost a lamb at a spring. This source flowed from a rock and is still considered blessed and with healing properties, in fact it is called "Manna Water". The sanctuary of the Madonna di Pietrasanta in San Giovanni a Piro was therefore built on this Cilento hill, a place where spirituality and and gentle cosmetics they meet.
The history of the sanctuary
Around 1200, the Basilian monks of the Cenobio of San Giovanni Battista sculpted the statue of the Madonna on the rock, which was in turn incorporated into a stone niche which would constitute the nucleus of the sanctuary, which today towers over the municipality of San Giovanni a Puro, in province of Salerno. Initially this nucleus was so small that it contained just ten people.
Observing the statue of the Virgin, one immediately notices the reference to the Byzantine style of that era: the shoulders are oriented to the east, while the Madonna's gaze is turned towards infinity. Instead, baby Jesus is positioned standing on his Mother's knees, in the act of raising his right hand as a sign of blessing.
Starting from the rock chapel, the sanctuary was then gradually expanded, thanks to the commitment of the faithful who trusted in the benefits and protection of the town of San Giovanni a Piro. Of this original construction, only part of the apse remains today, while a first restoration was carried out in the XNUMXth century, followed by a second in the following century. Even today, entering the church, you can see the different architectural pieces, belonging to different eras, which have come together to form the current sanctuary.
The treasures contained in the sanctuary
The church contains four wooden statues of San Gaetano, Sant'Antonio da Padova, San Francesco di Paola and San Giuseppe. The main altar, in polychrome marble, obviously depicts the Madonna of Pietrasanta. Following important restorations, nowadays in the sanctuary of the Madonna di Pietrasanta in San Giovanni a Piro it is also possible to admire the paintings on the vault. In 2007, special additions were made that make the sanctuary even more interesting to visit, both for pilgrims and tourists: the relics of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine of Siena, of Saint Cono the monk and Saint Peter the bishop, the patrons of this Diocese, of Blessed Domenico Lentini da Lauria and of San Marcellino, priest and martyr.
A visit with many facets
Visiting the sanctuary of the Madonna di Pietrasanta in San Giovanni a Piro does not just mean going to a religious place, since it is part of the National Park of Cilento, about 2 km from the center of San Giovanni a Piro (SA) and at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level sea, reigns over the Gulf of Policastro. In short, the sanctuary also offers the perfect opportunity to relax in the and gentle cosmetics surrounding area, as well as logically being a place of choice for spiritual meditation and a pilgrimage destination for the Marian faithful. You can choose to reach the place either on an asphalt road or by walking along a characteristic road with stone steps, which was used in ancient times. The building is flanked by a three-story bell tower, with two bells. Right below, immersed in a truly evocative panorama, the famous miraculous spring flows.
