At the foot of Monte Sellaro, in the heart of the Pollino National Park, stands the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Armi in Cerchiara di Calabria, in the province of Cosenza, one of the most mystical places in the region. A place of high spirituality where silence reigns supreme, interrupted only by the rustling of the wind.
Contrary to what one might think, the title Madonna delle Armi does not refer to war events but derives from the Greek tōn armōn, meaning "of the caves, of the recesses." The caves are clearly visible from the path leading to the Sanctuary, which is itself partially carved into the rock.
The origin of the Sanctuary is shrouded in an aura of mystery and mysticism: in 1450, some hunters from Rossano saw a doe enter a cave but found no trace of the animal inside. Instead, they found two wooden icons depicting the Evangelist Saints. When brought to Rossano, the panels disappeared only to reappear at the place of discovery, where it was decided to build a chapel to house them. During the construction, one of the blacksmiths struck an oval stone that kept falling into his hands, and inside the two halves appeared the image of the Madonna with the Child on one side and the image of Saint John the Baptist on the other. The acheropita image of the Madonna delle Armi is preserved in a silver case inside one of the chapels of the Sanctuary.
The religious festival in honor of the Madonna delle Armi is celebrated on April 25th, with the entire community of Cerchiara and numerous pilgrims from all over the world participating. On this occasion, a long procession winds along the mountain paths, among the splendid arboreal landscape of Pollino. Other festivities celebrated at the Sanctuary include Pentecost and the Emigrants' Festival on August 14th.
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Armi is open to visitors every day from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, thanks to the moral entity Fondazione Santa Maria delle Armi, which, with considerable effort, ensures its opening and protection.
Other places to explore:
- Grotta della Ninfe and thermal complex - Cerchiara di Calabria
- Sant'Angelo Caves - Cassano all'Ionio
- Lavender Park - Morano Calabro
