The Chiesa del Crocefisso (“Church of the Crucifix”) is the main tourist attraction in the town of Vallerano. The church is located outisde the historical center, along the road that leads to Carbognano.
Chiesa del Crocefisso Vallerano
Useful information
Address: Km. 3.300 Strada Provinciale Valleranese – 01030 Vallerano. Phone: +39 0761 753024.
History and description
Not much is known about its origins, but the Chiesa del Crocifisso is thought to have already existed in the 16th century.
The area where it was built is locally called the “Valley of the Wild Boar” (Valle dei Cinghiali), as an inscription in Latin commemorating the restoration of the church in 1747 indicates.
According to legend the wild boars also contributed to the creation of the church, by digging up a tile with a picture of the Madonna on it. A lumberjack subsequently hung the picture on the branch of an oak tree. As often occurred in those days with Madonna effigies, miracles started happening in its vicinity and people started visiting the tree.
It became necessary to build a small church. Subsequently, around 1600, when more and more people came to worship, a bigger church was built, which was designed by one of Vignola‘s students.
A large crucifix belonging to the passionisti di Carbognano was transferred to the new church. Several miraculous events, claims the epigraph, raised the church to the status of sanctuary. This was then entrusted to the Passionist Order that had been living in the convent behind it.
After the religious community, for unknown reasons, left the site, the church was abandoned until new restorations were ordered in 1978.