Santuario della Madonna della Grazia

An ancient sanctuary that has its roots in the history of Galatone run by the Franciscan monks

The sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia in Galatone is beautiful

Beautiful, very beautiful and cozy church. On September 8, the Madonna is celebrated there

Small convent church, with cross vault and colorful contemporary stained glass windows. The church exhibits the venerated fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie which celebrates a solemn feast on September 8th

at the entrance of galatone the sanctuary of s. maria delle grazie with adjoining convent

The Sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia is located not far from the city of Galatone, has a sober structure with a single nave. The icon of the Madonna that we find inside dates back to the fifteenth century. It is said that towards the end of 1500 this icon was kept in a small chapel outside the city, one day a little good hardened player having lost everything took refuge in this chapel and vented his anger by throwing stones at the Madonna. One of the stones caused a bruise in one eye of the sacred image, this event considered miraculous pushed the bishop of the time to start the construction of a church as a sign of faith where to keep the icon that we can admire today.

The church of the Madonna della Grazia, adjacent to the convent of the same name managed by the Frati Minori, is located on the outskirts of Galatone, in the province of Lecce. The church was built between 1591 and 1595 to house the fifteenth century icon, with Byzantine features, of the Madonna della Grazia. It was elevated to a sanctuary on 8 September 1956 by bishop Corrado Ursi. The façade is divided into two orders by a stone balustrade and ends with a triangular tympanum on which a relief medallion depicting the Madonna della Grazia is placed. The portal is surmounted by a tympanum on an architrave, supported by two composite columns with the coats of arms of the Pinellis, the Chapter and the Civic Administration in the center. The cartouche shows the date 1591. On the side, in two niches, the frescoed images of Saint Peter of Alcántara and Saint Pasquale Baylón. On the second order, on the sides of the large window, two other niches with the paintings of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony of Padua. The interior has a single nave covered with a sequence of three Lecce cross vaults with exposed ashlars. It underwent substantial changes between 1960 and 1967. On the right side there are two canvases attributed to Luca Giordano and on the left side a canvas by Nicola Maria De Tuglie. The presbytery houses the fresco with the image of the Madonna with the swollen eye, placed on a stele next to the main altar. The icon, with an oriental model, depicts the Madonna nursing the Infant Jesus. Small and very simple but interesting church and definitely worth a visit.

The church was built between 1591 and 1595 to house the fifteenth-century icon, with Byzantine features, of the Madonna della Grazia. The construction was commissioned by the bishop of Nardò Fabio Fornari, who wanted to be buried in this church, and is the work of local workers including: Angelo Spalletta, Nicola and Scipione Fanuli, Francesco dello Verde and Giovanni Maria Tarantino. In 1674, work began on the adjacent convent of the Alcantarini, now managed by the Friars Minor, in which Saint Egidio Maria da Taranto began his religious life. It was elevated to a sanctuary on 8 September 1956 by bishop Corrado Ursi. A place rich in history and wonder, steeped in mysticism.