The Madonna della Salute is one of the most venerated Marian figures in Italy, particularly in the city of Venice, where she is the centerpiece of one of the most heartfelt religious celebrations.
Devotion to the Madonna della Salute originated in the 17th century. Between 1630 and 1631, Venice was ravaged by a plague that decimated its population. In response, Doge Nicolò Contarini and the Venetian Senate vowed to erect a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, asking for her intercession to end the pandemic.
As the contagion subsided, the city attributed its recovery to the intervention of the Madonna, thereby solidifying the tradition that connects her veneration to protection against illnesses.
This church is the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, designed by the renowned Baroque architect Baldassare Longhena. Located at the entrance of the Grand Canal, the basilica is one of Venice’s most iconic buildings, thanks to its majestic dome and elegant architecture, which seems to rise directly from the water.
Every year, on November 21, Venice celebrates the Feast of the Madonna della Salute. It is a day of pilgrimage, during which thousands of faithful cross the Grand Canal on a specially constructed pontoon bridge to reach the basilica and pay homage to the Virgin. The Madonna della Salute is a symbol of resilience, faith, and gratitude, deeply rooted in Venetian culture.
The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice and the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Health in Monteortone, located near Abano Terme, are two distinct places of worship united by the same Marian devotion. Both sanctuaries were established as a response to calamities.
In both Venice and Monteortone, the sanctuaries were built as acts of gratitude for Marian intercession during devastating epidemics. As in the plague of Venice in 1630, in Monteortone in 1428, during a terrible plague outbreak, a man named Pietro Falco discovered a thermal spring with reputed healing powers, and on that site, the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Health was built. Both churches represent a profound connection between the community and faith.
In this Euganean territory, there is an unbreakable bond between water and health. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Euganean Thermae and the AbanoRitz, where water emerges as a vital, regenerating element with healing properties, linking spirituality and health, tradition and territory.
