Nostra Signora della Lettera, Baroque shrine and church in Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy.
Nostra Signora della Lettera, also the shrine of Nostra Signora della Lettera, is the parish church of San Giacomo di Corte on via San Francesco d'Assisi in Santa Margherita Ligure. The building has three naves, a baroque facade with a marble statue of Saint James in a central niche, and interior fresco cycles by Nicolò Barabino.
The original shrine dates to around 1000, while the main church building took its current form during the 17th century. This long history reflects the site's ongoing importance to the local community.
The wooden statue of the Madonna della Lettera, carved in 1766 by an unknown sculptor, shows the Virgin holding the Child in her left hand and a letter in her right. It is carried in procession with traditional wooden crucifixes on the last Sunday of July, the patronal feast. The church also holds fresco cycles by the Genoese painter Nicolò Barabino.
The church sits on elevated ground with clear views down to the harbor and is easily reached on foot. Visitors should plan visits around religious services and check local information before arriving for specific opening times.
The wooden Madonna della Lettera kept here is a copy of the image venerated at Messina's main sanctuary, on the customs house pediment facing the port. Tradition holds it fell into the sea after the 1783 earthquake that struck southern Italy and drifted to the bay of Corte, where fishermen found it on 20 June 1783. The statue was carved in 1766 by an sculptor whose name is not recorded.
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