The Shrine of Villanova d’Asti, a symbol of hope and faith
The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Villanova d’Asti among the jubilee churches of the diocese of Asti
Sanctuaries are important places for Marian devotion, and even more so during the Jubilee year.
Among them, mention should be made of that of Our Lady of Grace in Villanova d’Asti, an important landmark since 1821, a date associated with prodigious healings, as well as a spring of water considered miraculous.
Inaugurated in 1870, the shrine began construction in 1866 and is still a destination for the faithful seeking spiritual comfort.
For the jubilee year 2025, it was officially included among the jubilee churches of the diocese of Asti.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace continues to be a place of deep spirituality, capable of conveying a message of hope to all who come there in prayer.
Indeed, the news announced by the bishop of Asti, Monsignor Marco Prastaro, regarding its inclusion among the 5 jubilee churches of the Asti diocese for 2025 was welcomed with great joy.
The shrine, known to most as the “Madonnina,” is known for the Virgin’s apparition to the little shepherdess Maria Baj. A center for spirituality and hospitality was born in that very area.
There are, in addition, many organized initiatives, including the Infiorata, which has been held since the 1980s every last Sunday in July.
As Stefano Greco writes in “La Voce di Asti,” “the shrine confirms itself as a focal point of Marian devotion in the Asti area, ready to welcome the faithful on a journey of faith and reconciliation.”
A symbol of hope and faith, moreover, enriched by the missionary presence of its rector, Father Orazio Anselmi, of the Consolata Institute, who for eighteen years has been in Brazil, among Salvador de Bahia, São Manuel and in the favela of Mangueria in Rio de Janeiro.
Source and image
- Stefano Greco