The Marian Way of the Agro

Sarno, the Sanctuary of the Three Crowns, and Borgo San Matteo

The route begins in Sarno, at the Sanctuary of Maria SS. delle Tre Corone, where the sacred image of the Madonna, popularly known as “quadriello,” evokes the triple dignity of queen, mother, and protector, which in the 18th century led her to become the patron saint of the city, strengthening a bond that is still very strong today. The sanctuary interacts with the Co-Cathedral of San Michele in the Episcopio area, with the ancient village of San Matteo and the church of the same name, forming a whole in which religiosity and urban history intertwine. Borgo San Matteo, also known as Terravecchia, is an ancient, compact village that follows the layout of medieval villages. What is most striking from here is the view: the landscape below looks like a large living painting in which the elegant tranquility of Capri, the continuous movement of Castellammare, the timeless history of Pompeii and, in the background, the imposing profile of Vesuvius watching over everything coexist. A popular belief has it that passing through this place leads to receiving enlightenment or suggestions about one’s path. A little further on, there is another wonder: the uncontaminated source of the Sarno di Rio Palazzo, where crystal-clear water flows from the base of an ancient noble residence.

Scafati and the Madonna dei Bagni: the tradition of miraculous water

The second stop is Scafati, at the Sanctuary of Maria SS. Incoronata dei Bagni, built near the ancient spring believed to be miraculous and linked to healings and popular graces. The interior, with three naves, features rich classical-style decorations, frescoes by D’Agostino and Postiglione, a presbytery covered with 18th-century marble mosaics, and an altarpiece from 1639 dedicated to the Madonna dei Bagni. Here, devotion is intertwined with tammurriate, which in this place follow their own recognizable rhythms, maintaining a deep link between Marian worship and musical tradition, with the feast celebrated on Ascension Day.

Pagani and the cult of the Madonna delle Galline

The journey continues towards Pagani, to the 17th-century Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Galline, a symbolic center of popular religious devotion in Campania, where worship is linked to the story of the discovery of an ancient image of the Virgin Mary by some hens. The Baroque façade of the church is embellished with sculpted architectural elements and two symbolic figures: on the left, the personification of Modesty, and on the right, that of Hope. Above the main entrance is a relief showing the Madonna del Carmelo with the Child, suspended on a blanket of clouds and crowned by a pair of angels. The interior consists of a single span, divided into three side openings that house altars framed by Corinthian pilasters, and the ceiling is probably 18th-century coffered. In the third niche, deeper than the others, is an 18th-century sculpture of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The ‘Festa della Madonna delle Galline’ (Feast of Our Lady of the Hens), which takes place during Easter, fills the city every year with songs, tammorre (traditional drums) and ritual gestures, blending the sacred and the folkloric in a single great collective ritual.

Nocera Inferiore and the figure of Saint Prisco

The journey continues until it reaches Nocera Inferiore, where the Cathedral of San Prisco represents the spiritual heart of the valley, a sign of Christian continuity through the centuries. A few steps from the Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum “San Prisco” preserves reliquaries, vestments, illuminated manuscripts, and silverware, offering concrete evidence of the religious history of the Agro. Looking towards the Lattari Mountains, halfway up the hillside, you can see another important Marian site that is a symbol of the city: the Sanctuary of Montalbino, currently a valuable landscape feature but not open to visitors.

Nocera Superiore: the Baptistery and the Sanctuary of Materdomini

In Nocera Superiore, just a few minutes away by car, Via Mariana leads to the early Christian Baptistery of Santa Maria Maggiore. It is a 6th-century monument with a central plan and a large octagonal font for baptism by immersion, considered the second largest in Italy. The marble columns from Roman buildings bear witness to the continuity between Nuceria Alfaterna and the Christian community that followed. The building still offers a unique sense of space, where ancient architecture and faith merge into a single narrative.

Also in Nocera Superiore, in the hamlet of Materdomini, you can visit the Basilica-Shrine of Santa Maria Materdomini, an ancient Benedictine foundation and now a minor basilica founded around the year 1000. As evidence of its long history and importance over the centuries, the building preserves a significant artistic heritage, including two large paintings by Angelo Solimena dedicated to the visit of Pope Nicholas II and the miracle of Emperor Henry IV. One of the most popular rituals is the night vigil between August 14 and 15, when pilgrims, in the dark, sing the ancient dialect song “Scinn scinn zij munacone scinn, arapre stu purton” asking the friars to open the doors of the sanctuary: a moment when faith becomes a collective chorus that kicks off the festival. Linked to this ritual is the tradition of eating “palatella” for the festival, a long bread with rounded ends, traditionally stuffed with eggplant in oil and anchovies.

Santa Maria di Loreto in Roccapiemonte: the sanctuary in the hills

The last stretch of the route leads to Roccapiemonte, to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Loreto, located in an elevated position on the slopes of the mountain. The first records date back to the 12th century, and over time the site has obtained indulgences and recognitions that have increased its role in local devotion. Access involves a short climb, a gesture that becomes symbolic: the final ascent of a journey that leads from the miraculous spring of Scafati to a place suspended between the sky and the mountains.