The Holy Week rituals: Via Crucis at the Madonna della Grotta Sanctuary in Modugno. Bari, Italy

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The sanctuary of Santa Maria della Grotta, located in the municipality of Modugno (BA), three kilometers from the town, on the road to Carbonara di Bari, on the edge of the blade Lamasinata.

Characteristic is the avenue that leads to the flowered shrine. From the terraces of the shrine, overlooking a beautiful slice of territory where you can see cypress, and eucalyptus trees, behind the shrine stands a pine forest. The religious establishment has ancient origins: in the eighth century was a rock church called Santa Maria in Gryptam, where they found shelter the Basilian monks who escaped the repression iconoclasts. In 1854, the entire complex was detected by canonical modugnese Luigi Loiacono that transformed the church and built the main house and tower crowned with battlements. The appearance of this building like a palace late characteristic of the city center modugneseNel twentieth century, the settlement was abandoned to decay until 1974 when the Rogationist Fathers gave the green light to a series of renovations which have brought the sanctuary to its cult of Mary . The restoration has brought to light the ancient grotto dedicated to Our Lady and especially where he lived and died the Cistercian St. Conrad of Bavaria, after his return from the Holy Land. Were reported in the light parts of a mosaic that covered the floor and two tombs, one of which receives perhaps the remains of the saint. Were discovered three frescoes painted on the rock in style dating to the Byzantine and XII-XIV century: one depicts the face of Christ, according to the Compianto Christ died on the third and another face, perhaps of Christ. Interesting is the discovery of a limestone statue, executed by an anonymous in the sixteenth century, which is a pity that such a Michelangelo.
For nearly thirty years each on the occasion of the holy Friday it plays a charming Via Crucis in costume, the final step of a procession for seven kilometers along some neighborhoods of Bari bordering the sanctuary. Despite the biting cold was intense. For whom then is nearby, it is advisable to visit this church and in a period prepasquale take part in this event suggestive