The Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Elcina stands on a rocky hill a short distance from the historic center of the town. The church in local stone, in its current form, is of recent construction but of ancient foundation and has a considerable historical, artistic and religious value for the whole valley.
Tradition has it that one day two dumb little shepherds from Abbateggio, grazing sheep on the hill of Elcina, saw a Lady on an elce tree (holm oak) and, at the foot of the tree, a painting representing the Madonna sitting on a tree with Baby Jesus in her arms.
The Lady told the little shepherds that she wanted a church on that hill, repeating the same request three times. The church, rebuilt in 1927 on the old building, has a stone block facade with a portal closed by an artistic stained glass window with a restored wrought iron motif. The perimeter walls are of medieval origin.
The interior with three naves has neoclassical features; altars, niches and statues are leaning against the side walls. On the main altar there is the statue of the Madonna in painted terracotta (work of the fifteenth century); under the altar there is a trunk of holm oak which is remembered as the rest of the ancient tree on which the Virgin appeared.
To find out more, look at the page on the website of the municipality of Abbateggio.
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