santuario, Madonna d'Itria

On a hill above Cirò Marina, the Santuario della Madonna d’Itria commands a wide view of the town and the sea beyond. This is a modern church, completed in 1970, but its purpose and dedication are ancient. The Madonna d’Itria is the Theotokos, the Mother of God, and her title recalls the Byzantine icon of the Hodegetria, she who shows the way. Here she is invoked as ‘Madre della Strada’, a guide for travellers and the faithful. The church and its broad piazza are cared for by the Passionist fathers, who have been present since the mid-twentieth century. Inside, a marble monument holds the remains of a former bishop; outside, a statue honours the tireless priest who drove the building’s construction. The main feast falls in September, once accompanied by a fortnight-long fair. The sanctuary also houses a library and meeting rooms, a place of devotion, but also of community.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.