Sanctuary of San Girolamo Emiliani, Minor basilica and sanctuary in Somasca, Italy.
The Sanctuary of San Girolamo Emiliani, officially the Basilica of San Bartolomeo and San Girolamo Emiliani, is a Baroque church with a three-aisled interior of four bays. The nave has a barrel vault on columns, while the side aisles are cross-vaulted. A five-arch portico with paired columns stands before the facade, which carries a statue of the saint in its tympanum. The saint's relics rest in a silver urn from 1867 on the right side altar.
Construction began in 1592 and the site developed over time into an important pilgrimage destination. The building gained its official designation as a minor basilica from the Catholic Church in 1958.
The name comes from a saint who dedicated himself to helping orphans in this place. Visitors can see today how locals and pilgrims honor this connection by walking through the eleven chapels that line a path leading away from the main building.
The building is easily accessible with a large parking area near the main entrance for drivers. Comfortable shoes are recommended if you plan to walk the outdoor path connecting the eleven chapels.
Inside a room called the Sala della Fonte there is a natural spring that local tradition connects to the saint himself. The story says he struck the rock to bring water to orphans during a time of drought.
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