The Marian Shrine of Scaldaferro in Pozzoleone

A Small but Powerful Shrine

“Go there—it’s powerful,” a friend tells me. And so, one Sunday in October, I take a detour off the highway leading from Vicenza to Treviso. I arrive at the small shrine in the middle of Mass and sit off to the side. The power is there: the power of faith, the power of art.

Why It’s Special: Father Marko Ivan Rupnik’s Mosaic

Since 2006, in the portico expanded to welcome pilgrims , an extraordinary mosaic has told the story of Jesus’ life— from his Birth to his Resurrection—with an intensity that doesn’t require faith to touch the heart. Water gushes from Mary’s feet... Mary Magdalene turns and stares in recognition of Jesus... Rupnik’s expressive power is magnetic.

Not to be missed: Fr. Giulio dall’Olmo’s Biblical Nativity Scene

Every Christmas since 1974, a vast nativity scene (approximately 200 square meters) depicts the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Surrounding the grotto of the Infant Jesus, the nativity scene faithfully recreates the landscapes of Palestine. A sophisticated roller system modulates the lights, voices, and sounds, simulating night and day.

A Bit of History

Originally, there was a small fresco on the wall of a stable: it depicted the Virgin Mary wearing a nurse’s apron over her queenly mantle. There was a simple niche in 1665, then a shrine, then a small octagonal temple in 1715; finally, the church was built in the early 20th century and the Portico in 2003.

A Place of Faith

Many miracles are attributed to Our Lady, Health of the Sick, and the number of the faithful and pilgrims is vast: an entire wall is dedicated to votive offerings.