Tucked away along Via del Molino in the village of Chiauci lies the Church of the Holy Rosary—a small building rich with stories, traditions, and deep-rooted faith. Once dedicated to Saint Sebastian and surrounded by the homes that formed the Borgo San Sebastiano, the church was renamed in the 1700s with the rise of Marian devotion. The Feast of the Holy Rosary, still celebrated on the first Sunday of October, remains a vital moment for the community.
The church may date back to between the 14th and 17th
centuries, suggested by an old stone cross on its front square.
In 1860, it was expanded to house the Confraternity of the Rosary and redesigned in a neoclassical style. Since 2013, it has also housed a life-size official replica of the Holy Shroud, permanently on display—a unique spiritual draw.
Within its walls, traditions come to life. One of the most touching is the “Bread Festival of Saint Anthony,” when families used to weigh their children and offer the equivalent weight in wheat as a blessing against infant mortality. This ritual, passed down orally, was founded by the Iacobucci family and speaks volumes about communal care and belief.
Chiauci also holds a long devotion to Saint George. Since the early 1700s, his feast brought up to 38 priests from neighboring villages. The statue was carried in procession from the Mother Church to the Church of San Sebastiano, where it remained for the duration of the celebrations.