Sanctuary of the Madonna di Porto

This sanctuary is one of the most important in Calabria. It was built in the second half of the eighteenth century. It is said that Pietro Gatto, a boy who was hiding in the woods to escape Justice, saw the Madonna appear in his dreams and told him to build a chapel in that place.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Porto in Gimigliano, Calabria, is one of the most important Marian shrines in the region and a central site of popular piety.The origins of the shrine date back to 1626, when Calabria was struck by a plague epidemic and earthquakes. During this time, the painter Marcangione began a painting of the Madonna di Costantinopoli. According to legend, the image was miraculously completed overnight, which was interpreted as a divine sign. This image, considered "acheropit" (not made by human hands), became a center of veneration.Later, the Madonna appeared in a dream to a local brigand named Pietro Gatto. After his conversion, he built a small chapel, which formed the foundation stone of the present shrine.