A magnificent sanctuary is named after Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso, patron saint of Molise: the Basilica Minore or of the Addolorata. A 750 meter path is connected to the place of worship where seven stations can be admired. This is the "Via Matrix", where the seven sorrows of the Mother of God are represented. Inside the sanctuary, on the main altar, the imposing statue depicting the Virgin with open arms and her gaze turned towards the tall, with his dead son in front of him.
Located in the municipality of Castelpetroso (Isernia), the Basilica was built starting from September 1890, the date of the laying of the first stone, and finished in 1907. The consecration, however, took place on 21 September 1975. Built in neo-Gothic style, it is made up of seven chapels. At the center of them is the dome, 54 meters high. In the seventh chapel a relic of San Gabriele dell'Addolorata is preserved.
The Marian apparitions
The history of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows began on March 22, 1888, when the Virgin appeared for the first time. Two local peasant women saw her: Fabiana Cicchino (called Bibiana) e Serafina Valentino. They were both looking for a lost sheep when one of them saw Our Lady of Sorrows half-kneeling with her dead son at her feet, her gaze turned towards the sky and her arms outstretched in an act of offering.
The second time, the Madonna also manifested herself to the other girl. On September 26 of the same year, she also saw her Monsignor Francesco Macarone Palmieri, bishop of Bojano, who went to the sacred place to "investigate" the alleged apparitions. Added to these was another extraordinary event: at the foot of the cliff a spring of water emerged which immediately revealed itself to be miraculous.
The statue
The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows of Castelpetroso, created by the sculptor Domenico Guido, dates back to the 17th century. The delicacy of the features and the precision of the details make it an absolute masterpiece of sacred art, an object of veneration and devotion by the faithful.
During Holy Week, it is displayed to the public for the traditional Good Friday procession, which takes place through the streets of the town in an atmosphere of strong suggestion and emotional involvement. Anyone lucky enough to be able to contemplate the Addolorata of Castelpetroso cannot help but be fascinated by her beauty and her emotional power.
The stations of the Via Matrix
The Via Matrix, dedicated to Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso, was inaugurated on 27 October 1947. It is a long path divided into seven stages, each marked by a copper shrine enclosed in a brick niche, which commemorates the seven sorrows of the Mother of God. Next to each newsstand, bronze sculptures by the artist have been visible since the 90s Alessandro Caetani.
In this place of great spirituality, thousands of faithful retreat to pray. The stations of the Via Matrix are, in order, the following: presentation of Jesus in the Temple; flight to Egypt; loss of Jesus; Mary meets her son Jesus on the way to Calvary; Mary witnesses the crucifixion of Jesus; Mary receives Jesus taken down from the cross in her arms; Mary places the dead Jesus in the tomb. The sacredness of the place conveys great serenity and invites silence and reconciliation with God.
(Photo: Sanctuary of the Addolorata of Castelpetroso)
