The Church of the Madonna in Saletta stands on high ground about three kilometers from Castel del Giudice, nestled in a charming pine and fir forest that once marked the passage of ancient transhumance routes. This shrine, in rural Romanesque style, holds deep popular devotion and is linked to legends and traditions that still fuel its spiritual appeal.
The present building dates from 1950, when it was rebuilt almost from the ground up, but its origins are much older: according to some studies, a small medieval monastery stood on the same site. The interior, with a single nave, holds works of great devotional value, most notably the painting of the Madonna and Child, dating from the 15th-16th centuries. The Virgin is depicted in the guise of a commoner matron, seated on a rock and with the Child Jesus on her lap: a proud, peasant image, deeply rooted in popular spirituality. The author of the painting is anonymous, although tradition attributes it to St. Luke. A particular optical effect is striking, making the Madonna’s gaze seem to be always turned toward the viewer.
Legend has it that in the very vicinity of the shrine, Our Lady had stopped on a rock together with the Child, leaving imprinted the mark of her knees, still considered miraculous today.
In front of the church, a meadow equipped for picnics makes this place not only a destination for pilgrimages and devotion, but also for stops immersed in nature, where faith, history and legend blend harmoniously.
