The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows in Castelpetroso is one of the most visited places in Molise and very significant for its inhabitants, both believers and non-believers. The shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of the region, and stands in a place made famous by the apparitions that began on March 22, 1888, when the Virgin Mary appeared to two shepherdesses. This event, followed by other apparitions, was soon recognized by the Church.
Work on the construction of the Basilica began on September 28, 1890, with the laying of the foundation stone, and was completed in 1975. The building, in neo-Gothic style, is built around seven chapels, each dedicated to one of Mary’s seven sorrows. The central dome, 54 meters high, dominates the entire complex. The shrine is connected to the site of the apparitions by the 750-meter-long Via Matris, which symbolically retraces the Marian sorrows
Inside the Basilica, the glimpse is impressive. The central dome radiates light on the seven chapels and mosaics representing the most venerated saints in Molise. Above are the Evangelists and Prophets, while in the center is the high altar with the throne of Our Lady of Sorrows and a sculpture expressing the Mother’s sorrow. A relic of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, one of her teeth, has been kept in the seventh chapel since 1994. The organ, with its 1778 pipes, plays over the chancel, while neo-Gothic stained glass windows and rose windows narrate significant moments in the life of Our Lady.
The small Magdalene Chapel, located 810 meters above sea level, is another site of interest, with its exposed stone walls. The Basilica and the site of the apparitions are connected by a road, the Via Matris, about 800 meters long with works commemorating Marian sorrows.
The apparitions, witnessed by the visionaries Serafina and Bibiana, brought official recognition by the Church, and on December 6, 1973, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Mary Most Holy Our Lady of Sorrows patroness of Molise.