Sanctuary of the Virgin of Taburnus

Built in the late 15th century at the foot of Mount Taburno, the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Taburnus origins trace back to a 1401 legend of a deaf-mute shepherd girl, Agnese, who miraculously regained speech and hearing after encountering a statue of the Virgin Mary in a cave. The news led Count Carlo Carafa of Airola to build a chapel nearby.

In 1494 a convent was built by the grandchild of Carlo Carafa, at the time count of Airola and bearing the same name, both out of devotion, and because of the growing fame of the place, to ingratiate the devoted populace.

The church has a rectangular nave, Gothic rib vaults, and an original baked clay floor. The cloister, once two levels, now features an oculus for lighting. The portico has three arches, and the cave of the Virgin’s statue remains nearby.

A major pilgrimage site in Bucciano, especially on Divine Mercy Sunday, it has been linked to miracles. Pope Sixtus V allowed women entry four times a year, and a group of deaf visitors comes annually.

 

 

 

Address
Via S.Maria al Taburno, Bucciano, Italy

Established
1494