santuario, mariano, diocesano, Santuario di Maria SS.ma di Romania

The Santuario di Maria SS.ma di Romania in Tropea is a co-cathedral elevated to a diocesan Marian sanctuary in 2002. Its origins lie with the Normans, who built it between the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. The church’s principal feast falls on 27 March, honouring the Madonna as protector of the city; a second celebration on 9 September marks the anniversary of the coronation of the sacred icon, when a procession carries the venerated image through the streets accompanied by all the religious confraternities. The devotion is palpable: during the nine days of the Novena that precede the feast, crowds of the faithful gather with evident enthusiasm, celebrating with hymns and songs. The church thus serves not only as a place of worship but as the enduring heart of local piety, its Norman stonework witnessing centuries of unwavering popular devotion.

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