Admiring the Madonna of Crea

We continue our journey among Piedmont's Sacred Mountains by going to Monferrato.

The Sacred Mount of Crea, one of the most important sacred places in Piedmont. is located near Serralunga di Crea, in the province of Alessandria, on one of the highest hills of Monferrato.

According to tradition, Saint Eusebius, bishop of Vercelli, climbed the mountain in 350 with a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child and, in that area, founded an oratory where he took refuge to escape the persecution of the Arians.

A 9th-century manuscript represents the earliest evidence of the place's name, putting it squarely in the context of the spread of Christianity by Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, with the aim of eliminating paganism by replacing Celtic female deities with the cult of the Virgin Mary.

Around the year 1000, the canons regular of the Abbey of St Mary of Vezzolano settled in Crea. They were succeeded by the Lateran Monks in 1483.

The first mention of a church, later transformed into a sanctuary, dates back to the 12th century. Around it arose the project to build Sacro Monte, whose construction began in 1589 at the behest of the Father Superior Costantino Massimo da Vercelli, who began work near the pre-existing convent. The design required the intervention of the Monferrato feudal lords of the Community of Crea.

It must be emphasised that the works proceeded with great difficulty due to the very landslide-prone terrain.

In 1801, with the suppression of the convent, neglect and decay set in, but in 1820, it was rebuilt and the restoration of the church was entrusted to the Order of Friars Minor Observant.

At the end of the 19th century, the old structure was transformed into a Stations of the Cross.

Today, the route leads uphill to twenty-three chapels surrounded by woods of chestnut, ash and oak trees. Following the route, pilgrims can immerse themselves in the life, death, assumption and glorification of the Virgin Mary, while the first two chapels are dedicated to St Eusebius.

Numerous plaster and terracotta statues represent the different stages in the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. They are works by talented artists such as the Tabachetti brothers, Guglielmo Caccia, nicknamed “il Moncalvo”, Giorgio Alberini and Paolo Moggi.

At the top, on the foundations of an ancient tower, stands the grandiose Chapel of Paradise, with a circular plan, where the Coronation of Mary Assumed into Heaven is depicted, positioned at the centre of the Holy Trinity and surrounded by a host of Angels. There are three rounds of statues and more than three hundred figures, depicting Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Saints in a prayerful position, who encircle her, together with the Musician Angels painted on the dome.

The sculptures are attributed to Giovanni and Nicola Wespin and the paintings to Giorgio Alberini.

From the external loggia, the view opens out over the surrounding hills.

From the top, one descends to five small chapels, known as “Romitori”, located near the square where the Sanctuary, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, is located. It was initially built in Romanesque style, but was modified in later centuries. The majestic porticoed façade underwent several alterations starting in 1735 and during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The church is mentioned in Emperor Henry IV's privilege of 1060 and also in an agreement of 1129 between the Marquis of Saluzzo and the Abbey of Fruttuaria.

Historiographic tradition attributes the building of the first Sanctuary of Crea to King Arduino of Ivrea.


Inside the church, there is a canvas depicting the Glory of the Madonna, painted by Guglielmo Cairo, located above the High Altar, while in the chapel on the left side, inside a niche, the Madonna of Crea, a small cedar wood statue, is venerated.

To the right of the high altar is the chapel of St. Margaret, decorated with 15th-century frescoes of the Lombard-Piedmontese school.

The Madonna of Crea is the patron saint of Monferrato, venerated for many centuries for her miracles, as the countless ex-votos testify.

The Sacred Mount of Crea has been a World Heritage Site and a UNESCO-protected property since 2003.

The Sacro Monte Natural Park is home to the Centre of European Sacred Mounts, Calvaries and Devotional Complexes established by the Region of Piedmont.

Photo: Church façade of Sacro Monte di Crea. 

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