Magreglio, Como, Italy
Love conquers all.
—Encryption on dedication stone of the Museo del Ciclismo, Pope Benedict XVI (1927–), elected to the Papacy in 2005
This tiny chapel on the summit of Madonna del Ghisallo—a steep hill in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy—is legendary among cyclists around the world. The legend originated in the seventeenth century after Count Ghisallo ran toward an apparition of Mother Mary as he was being attacked by highway robbers, saving his life. In gratitude, he built the church on the hill named for his Marian apparition, who became the local patroness of travelers. Later, cyclists adopted the icon as their patroness, and in 1949, Pope Pius XII decreed Madonna del Ghisallo the patron saint of cyclists. At the church’s center is an “eternal flame” bestowing blessings on the thousands of cyclists—and other travelers—who happen by.
Whether you seek the courage to pursue your passion or the blessings of your trek through God’s country, take a road trip to Madonna del Ghisallo. From Como or Bellagio, travel by rental car, local guide, or bicycle (fit, trained cyclists only).
Pray for safe passage as you follow your bliss or continue your cycling adventure in Italy.
In 2000, when the building of the Museo del Ciclismo (next door) was approved, cyclists conducted a torch relay from the church to the Vatican. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI laid the final stone.