Isernia, Carpino river

The basilica sanctuary of Maria Santissima Addolorata, or simply the Addolorata basilica is an important Catholic place of worship located in the municipality of Castelpetroso, in the province of Isernia, and belonging to the archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on March 22, 1888 to two shepherdesses named Serafina and Bibiana in the locality of Cesa tra Santi, on the slopes of Mount Patalecchia. This first apparition was followed by others and, following the recognition of this phenomenon, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso patroness of Molise on 6 December 1973. In the 1890s, it was decided to build a sanctuary near the place of the apparitions, but further downstream from this, so that it would be more easily accessible by pilgrims. The project was entrusted to Giuseppe Gualandi, whose death (1944) was succeeded by his son Francesco. On 28 September 1890 the first stone was laid and construction of the sanctuary began. It proceeded slowly due to economic problems and the two world wars: in 1907 the chapel of the Poles was finished and opened for worship, but the perimeter walls of the church were completed only in 1950 [2], thanks to donations from don Nicolino Passarelli, canon theologian of the cathedral of Venafro, lawyer of the Sacra Rota and professor. In the following decades the sanctuary was completed and consecrated on 21 September 1975 by the bishop of Boiano-Campobasso Alberto Carinci.

Secondo la testimonianza delle veggenti, la Vergine Maria apparve la prima volta il 22 marzo 1888 a due pastorelle di nome Serafina e Bibiana in località Cesa tra Santi, sulle pendici del Monte Patalecchia. A questa prima apparizione ne seguirono altre e, in seguito al riconoscimento di tale fenomeno, papa Paolo VI ha proclamato Maria Santissima Addolorata di Castelpetroso patrona del Molise il 6 dicembre 1973. Negli anni novanta del XIX secolo, si decise di costruire un santuario presso il luogo delle apparizioni, ma più a valle rispetto a questo, affinché fosse più facilmente raggiungibile dai pellegrini. Il progetto venne affidato a Giuseppe Gualandi, alla cui morte (1944) subentrò il figlio Francesco. Il 28 settembre 1890 venne posata la prima pietra e si diede inizio alla costruzione del santuario. Essa procedette a rilento a causa di problemi economici e delle due guerre mondiali: nel 1907 fu terminata e aperta al culto la cappella dei Polacchi, ma le mura perimetrali della chiesa furono portate a compimento solo nel 1950[2], grazie alle sovvenzioni di don Nicolino Passarelli, canonico teologo della cattedrale di Venafro, avvocato della Sacra Rota e professore. Nei decenni successivi si completò il santuario che venne consacrato il 21 settembre 1975 dal vescovo di Boiano-Campobasso Alberto Carinci.

Macchia d'Isernia is an Italian town of 1,008 inhabitants in the province of Isernia in Molise. The most important monuments are the baronial castle D'Alena and the church of San Nicola di Bari.

Pesche, village in the province of Isernia, in Molise, perched along the steep slopes of Mount San Marco, a white spot against the green of the mountain and the gray of the stones.

The castle was built in the 11th century, in the shape of an irregular pentagon, bordered by 5 towers, above the ravine overlooking the Carpino river. In 1223 it was destroyed by Ruggero da Pescolanciano.

Panorama of Pesche, village in the province of Isernia, in Molise, perched along the steep slopes of Mount San Marco, a white spot against the green of the mountain and the gray of the stones.

Castelpetroso is home to the Shrine of Maria Santissima Sorrows, patron saint of Molise. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Virgin Mary first appeared on March 22, 1888 to two shepherds named Serafina and Bibiana in Cesa between Saints, on the slopes of Mount Patalecchia. This first appearance was followed by others. This phenomenon was later recognized. The shrine, which began with the laying of the first stone on September 28, 1890 and completed in 1975, is made in the neo-Gothic style; seen from above is composed of seven chapels depicting the seven sorrows of Our Lady, in the center of which there is the dome 54 meters high. The shrine and the place of apparitions are connected to each other by the Via Matris, 750 meters long, where precisely remember the seven Marian sorrows.