Our Lady of the Holy Mount of Varese

Marian Advocation of Varese (Lombardy)

La devoción de Our Lady of the Holy Mount of Varese is linked to the great Marian set known as Sacro Monte di Varese o Sacro Monte del Rosarioin Lombardy, one of the Sacred Mountains included by UNESCO on the World Heritage List since 2003. The most characteristic feature of the whole is its itinerary of chapels dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary, organized in three groups of five, which culminates in the shrine of the top.

Main data

Origin and history

La devoción de Our Lady of the Holy Mount of Varese is linked to the great Marian set known as Sacro Monte di Varese o Sacro Monte del Rosarioin Lombardy, one of the Sacred Mountains included by UNESCO on the World Heritage List since 2003. The most characteristic feature of the whole is its itinerary of chapels dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary, organized in three groups of five, which culminates in the shrine of the top.

La tradition local links the origin of the place with an ancient Marian altar on the mountain and with a long history of pilgrimage. The documented history the sanctuary, on the other hand, is concrete in the development of the devotional complex of chapels and the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte, which structure the penitential and meditative ascension to the hill. The documentation available from the sources consulted confirms the character of the sanctuary of pilgrimage and meditation, but it does not allow to specify here a unique founding date with full safety.

The image and the sanctuary

The advocation is venerated in the Sanctuary of Santa María del Monte de Varese, official name of the temple linked to the Holy Mount. The sources consulted describe the architectural set of the Sacro Monte and its sacred path, but are not safe in these sources precise details of the exact material or iconography of the headline image; therefore, that data should be given as no consta.

The sanctuary is part of the monumental ensemble of Sacro Monte di Varese, famous for its 14 capillas with scenes of the Mysteries of the Rosary and for its spiritual pilgrimage function. In the sources provided it is identified as a sanctuary, but is not known here a formal elevation to minor basilica, national sanctuary or diocesan sanctuary in the verified information provided.

Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage: the sources consulted do not safely document an official patronage of city, municipality, diocese or nation for this advocation; therefore, no consta an officially accredited patronage in the verified information provided.

Canon coronation: does not contain a documented canonical coronation in the sources consulted.

Party and devotion

La main party is the September 8in continuity with the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Mount of Varese is a place of pilgrimage and Marian meditation, very associated with the contemplative prayer of the Rosary along the rise by the chapels.

Popular devotion is expressed above all in the pilgrimage to the sanctuary and in the contemplation of the Mysteries of the Rosary represented in the chapels of the Holy Way. The sources consulted do not provide reliable data of recent numerical inflow or quantified popular traditions; therefore, these extremes no constan.

Link to the Rosary

The link with the Rosary is Council: the Sacro Monte di Varese is organized precisely as a the way of the Rosary, con 14 capillas dedicated to the joyful, painful and glorious Mysteries, and with the final sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte completing the Marian itinerary. This configuration turns devotion into a visual and pilgrim catechesis of the Rosary, where prayer advances together with the contemplation of Christ's life with Mary.

If an even more complete web file is needed, a separate historical note on the construction of the chapels and the main authors of the whole should be added, but these data are not developed here because they do not appear with sufficient precision in the verified sources provided.