The Sanctuary of La Crusc

The Sanctuary of Santa Croce is the spiritual heart of our land, so much so that it has given its name to the emblematic mountain above; it is an ancient place of pilgrimage that has retained its importance over the centuries and is to this day a popular destination for believers from far and wide.

It is assumed that an ancient pagan place of worship, dating from pre-Christian times, stood on the site of today’s Sanctuary and that, later, the harsh local living conditions may have prompted the early Christians to build a sanctuary to invoke divine goodwill. It is said that a first chapel was erected in the meadows at the foot of Monte Santa Croce some time after the Badia area became inhabited all year round. A small church was built in place of the chapel in the 15th century; this was deconsecrated in 1782 during the Enlightenment by order of the Habsburg Emperor Joseph II. It was left to decay for the following 57 years; valley dwellers and pilgrims then renovated the little church and saved it from ruin. It was enlarged in the mid-19th century.

For a long time, the oldest documents testifying to the presence of the church dated back to 1511, until the discovery of two parchments that confirmed its existence even earlier: the first described the consecration of the church in 1484, while the second told of Giacomo “Morellus de Caninis” and of the two brothers Corrado and Pietro “Colzo”, who travelled to Rome in 1500 to ask for indulgences for the church of La Crusc. Following the granting of indulgences by various cardinals, in 1584 the parish priest undertook to celebrate six masses in the sanctuary every year. Even today, from June onwards, Holy Mass is celebrated at La Crusc, followed by several celebrations in the summer months. 

Today, the church altar holds various relics, including those of Saint Leonardo (the saint to whom the parish church of San Leonardo in Badia is consecrated), St Hippolytus, St Virgil (Bishop of Salzburg), St Mary Magdalene, St Agnes and St Barbara.

Three Stations of the Cross lead to the Sanctuary: one starts near the top station of La Crusc 1 lift, another is located along path no. 15 from San Cassiano, while a third follows path no. 13 from Castalta (Badia).