The Church of St. John the Baptist is a charming place located between San Remo and Ceriana, under Mount Bignone. This church is dedicated to St. John and St. Zane and was built in the 12th century.
To reach the church, you can take a walk in the woods of about an hour on the ancient path that is still paved in places. On the way, you can admire the beauty of the surrounding nature and visit the small church of San Salvatore.
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a place of great spirituality and inner peace. Here it is possible to find moments of serenity and reflection, away from the stress of daily life.
The small church, built in 1667 and restored when the dirt road was built in 1967, is a lovely example of rural religious architecture, with sand-colored stones held together by a few pours of concrete. The facade immediately catches the eye. The portico, with its three round arches, is a real jewel. Inside, St. John shows us the Way.
The custom is ancient and the memory of its meaning has probably been lost, but it has survived to the present day: on June 24 each year, the people of Ceriano come all the way here to spend a day of merriment and light-heartedness, with good food, music and good company to celebrate St. Zane.
Among the young people, they even celebrate from the day before, coming to spend the night in tents to welcome the St. John sun. On the eve, a bonfire is lit and people stay together, with a roof of stars over their heads and an earthen mattress to rock them through the night.
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