Santuario di Santa Maria di Canneto
The Santuario di Santa Maria di Canneto is a place of worship in Roccavivara set on a small hill with simple yet charming architecture featuring whitewashed walls, a small bell tower, and a tiled roof. Inside, wooden benches line the space along with small artworks and statues that reflect the faith of the community.
The sanctuary was likely built as a simple house of prayer shortly after the Council of Ephesus in 431 and later rebuilt into its current form by Benedictine monks from Montecassino in the 11th and 12th centuries. After the monks departed in 1474, the building fell into ruin until a priest named Don Duilio Lemme restored it in the 1930s and reopened it for worship.
The sanctuary is dedicated to the cult of the Mother of God, a figure to whom many locals feel deeply connected and who has been honored here since ancient times. The community of Roccavivara uses the church not only for prayer but also for celebrations and processions, where families gather together and pass down traditions.
The sanctuary is accessible throughout the year, especially from May to October, with visitors able to come early in the morning or late afternoon to enjoy the quiet setting. The narrow, winding road leading to the sanctuary is part of the experience and offers views of the rolling countryside.
The sanctuary is cared for by sisters from the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the rector, who pray for pilgrims and keep the place welcoming. In local tradition, the Virgin Mary is affectionately called the Virgin of the Smile and is regarded as a refuge for troubled hearts.
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