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Sanctuary of Our Lady of Porto Salvo

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Porto Salvo

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Porto Salvo is one of the places most cherished by the people of Lampedusa — a spiritual landmark and a testimony to the island’s millenary history. It stands at the head of the Cala Madonna valley, a deep inlet that, in the past, provided a safe harbor for ships thanks to its shelter from the winds.

The sanctuary is dedicated to the patron saint of the island and has an ancient and fascinating history. It is believed that, since remote times, this area was devoted to religious rituals practiced inside the caves located where the small church now stands.

Historical sources from different periods attest to the presence of hermits on the island from the time of the Arab domination of Sicily, between 827 and 1061, and continuing until the 18th century. These hermits were both Muslim and Christian, and could be either religious figures or lay people. For centuries they succeeded one another, constantly tending the flame lit on the tomb of a marabout — a holy Muslim man who died near the island — as well as the flame kept burning before an altar bearing an icon or painting of the Virgin Mary, preserved in the two separate sections into which the cave had been divided.

They also carried out an extremely important task: lighting large fires to signal the island’s presence to sailors and help prevent shipwrecks.

The hermits also played an essential role in welcoming anyone who stopped on the island — pirates, sailors, and shipwrecked travelers of both Christian and Muslim origin — to obtain food, water, and wood supplies.

Over time, the sanctuary evolved from a place devoted exclusively to prayer into a kind of shared refuge or emporium, where those who could afford it left offerings such as money, bread, dried biscuits, dried meat or fish, clothes, and even fishing tools, while those in need were free to take whatever they required.

This unique tradition, together with the peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims praying freely within their own spaces inside the cave sanctuary, made Lampedusa famous throughout the Mediterranean and among European courts. It became so renowned that Ludovico Ariosto chose it as the setting for one of the stories told in Orlando Furioso.

When Bernardo Maria Sanvisente arrived in Lampedusa in 1843, he found here a damaged statue of the Virgin Mary lying on the ground. He had it restored and established September 22nd as the day dedicated to celebrations in honor of Our Lady of Porto Salvo.

A story suspended between legend and truth is also linked to the sanctuary. Andrea Anfossi, a sailor from Liguria who had become a corsair fighting against the Turks, was captured and reduced to slavery. While passing through Lampedusa, he was sent ashore to gather wood supplies. Taking advantage of the situation, he escaped and hid on the island until the ships departed.

After praying to the Virgin for help, he removed a canvas depicting the Madonna of Porto Salvo from the sanctuary and used it as a sail for a raft that carried him safely back to his hometown, Castellaro Ligure. To this day, a sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Lampedusa still exists in that village.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Porto Salvo, as it appears today, is the result of several modifications made from the Bourbon era onward. The Muslim section was entirely removed, and the small church was built in place of the ancient cave.

Inside a large area surrounded by a lush garden stands the simple church with its bell tower, flanked by two small rooms carved into the rock, one of which is used to display ex-votos. Here rests the sarcophagus containing the remains of Father Giuseppe Policardi, a native of Lampedusa who served for 48 years as parish priest of San Gerlando Church and rector of the sanctuary.

Outside, to the right of the church, there is an altar dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. Continuing further, visitors can find an ancient rainwater cistern and several caves once used as dwellings. In one of them, traces of an old mill are still visible, while another cave once housed a bread oven.

The church’s current appearance dates mainly to the reconstruction works of the 1960s, when the large dry-stone wall separating the sanctuary entrance from the garden and cave area was demolished. The sanctuary officially received the title of “Sanctuary” in 1989.

Today, the sanctuary area continues to welcome visitors in an atmosphere of serenity and peace. It is always open to visitors and remains one of the most carefully maintained and beloved places on the island.

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