The Sanctuary of Madonna del Carmine

The Sanctuary of Madonna del Carmine in San Felice was built around a well-attested legend that tells of a miracle obtained through the intercession of Holy Mary. In 1490, the fishermen of San Felice survived after experiencing a lake storm in which several other fishermen lost their lives. Convinced of the miraculous intervention of Holy Mary, the fishermen dedicated to her a chapel built in 1452 entitled “Mary of grace and cisterns”, due to the large amount of water present in the subsoil. For a period till 1482 the first Sanctuary was subject to extension works twice which led to the nowadays structure. On January 17th 1482 the Sanctuary was consecrated. In the meantime, four Lombard Venetian painting schools, one after another, portrayed the theme of the graces obtained through the intercession, not only of Holy Mary, but also of various Saints including Sebastiano and Rocco, protectors against the plague, Carmelites Saints and Sant'Antonio Abate, patron of the hermits. The Sanctuary is located in a beautiful and natural setting surrounded by a park in which Friars look after several animals. The Sanctuary has a large parking area that can also be reached by multiple buses. Next to the Sanctuary there is an accommodation facility with the possibility of hosting individuals and groups for both, hot meals and overnight stays. The structure is also enriched by a beautiful Cloister, an auditorium and a hall with several services to welcome pilgrims and tourists.