Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Montalto

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montalto is a church in Messina located on Caperrina Hill and dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. Its origins date back to the 13th century and are linked to the tradition of the Virgin Mary’s apparition during the Sicilian Vespers. The current building is a 20th-century reconstruction after the 1908 earthquake

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montalto is located in Messina on Caperrina Hill, an area historically significant to the city. Its foundation is traditionally associated with the events of the Sicilian Vespers in 1282, when the people of Messina resisted the Angevin siege. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared as a “White Lady” to protect the city and later indicated the site where a church dedicated to her should be built.

The original structure dates back to the 13th century and developed over time, also involving a monastic presence and later historical transformations.

The sanctuary was heavily damaged by the 1908 Messina earthquake, which destroyed much of the original complex. It was among the first religious buildings to be rebuilt after the disaster. The present structure dates mainly to the 20th-century reconstruction, with a façade rebuilt in 1930 featuring two side bell towers.

The sanctuary remains closely tied to the devotion to Our Lady of Victories and to the symbolic memory of Messina’s protection during the Sicilian Vespers. Its panoramic position overlooking the Strait of Messina further enhances its religious and cultural significance