Considered the main religious attraction by the inhabitants of Savignano, the Sanctuary of Sanità owes its origins to a miraculous intervention of the Virgin who had defended the honesty of the daughter of a humble local farmer.
As a sign of thanks, he had a pillar built in 1613 depicting the Virgin suckling the baby Jesus with an angel at her side in veneration and the young peasant girl with her hands joined in thanksgiving.
This maternal and merciful attitude of the Virgin moved the faithful to call on her as Our Lady of Sanità. At first, a small chapel was built to protect the image, but the continuous influx of pilgrims that began in the 18th century led to the construction of a real church in 1750. Several interventions followed, culminating in the construction of the dome, transept, ambulatory and bell tower between 1946 and 1951.
The image of the Virgin is now worshipped above the altar, although, to facilitate its relocation, the original side figures were cut in 1719 and later replaced with those of St John the Baptist and St Francis of Assisi.
The patronal feast of the Sanctuary is celebrated every year in August and is very popular with the local population.
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