The Santuario del SS Crocifisso (Sanctuary of the Crucifix) stands in Boca, amid shady woods and vineyard-grown hills, on the pleasant and fertile plateau of Maggiora, Boca and Cavallirio. Its origin dates back to a chapel located one kilometre from the village of Boca, in which the Divine Crucifix was depicted, with an angel collecting in the chalice the blood gushing from the side of Jesus and below two figures commemorating the Dead. A simple representation, with no pretense of art but a call of faith to travellers.

The already strong devotion to the Chapel grew and spread in the mid-1700s following the healing of an epileptic child and the liberation of a merchant attacked by thieves. The influx of devotees made it necessary to build a first church, which proved insufficient as piety and crowds grew. This led to the present majestic temple of neoclassical design, the work of architect Alessandro Antonelli; begun in 1830, the construction was completed, after much hard work and vicissitudes, in 1917.

The sanctuary has an entrance staircase and a vast portico; the interior opens with a wide barrel vault with a 17-metre chord, above a single row of columns. The architectural complex, although modified from Antonelli’s original design, retains a character of great elegance and majesty. It is still a destination for frequent pilgrimages today.

Contact

Address: Via S. Francesco d’Assisi, 31 – 28010 Boca NO
Tel: +39 0322 87142 / +39 349 531 5439
E-mail:  info@santuariodiboca.it
Website: Santuario del SS. Crocifisso