Our Lady of Loreto story and the Holy House of Loreto – Basilica della Santa Casa

Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto, Piazza della Madonna, Loreto, Ancona, Italija

Website of the Sanctuary

+39 071 9747155

Every day: 6.15 am to 7.30 pm

The Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto is “a rest for the soul”, a place to meet God, and sometimes the inspiring reason and source of strength for new enterprises.

The Basilica della Santa Casa (English: Basilica of the Holy House) is a Catholic place of pilgrimage in Loreto, Italy, containing the house in which the Virgin Mary lived.

Our Lady of Loreto story

An ancient tradition tells that the walls of the Shrine existed in Nazareth, Galilea: the Holy House is the same House where Our Lady Mary was born, grew up and received the angelic announcement.

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This tradition, based on devotion and popular belief, ascribed the transportation of the House of Nazareth to an angelic mission; current historical studies have developed the hypothesis of transportation carried out by Man, through sea and land, that came true with special assistance from above. That’s the way “to read between the lines” and give the most probable explanation to the Holy House event.

The three walls of the Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto

The original nucleus of the Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto consists of three walls only: in Nazareth, the original fourth wall was simply the side opened towards the entrance of the grotto. On this edge now stands the interior altar of the Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto.

The Holy Chamber can be clearly defined in two different parts. The lower section (from the ground up to almost 3 meters in height) is the original wall, made with sandstone blocks, built-in regular rows, as we could find in Nazareth; the upper section is added afterward with Marche local brick, the only building material used in the area with those methods of construction.

A graffito on the wall of the Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto

The technique used for the external finish of some stones is similar to that employed by the Nabateans and was very popular in Palestine during the Roman empire.

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About sixty graffiti have been found, and most are considered by experts to be similar to those of the Judeo-Christians in the Holy Land, including Nazareth, belonging to ancient times.

The Marble Screen

The Marble Screen was commissioned by Julius II, who sent Donato Bramante to Loreto in 1507 to do “great things” there and to “draw many works”.

The opera was realized under the direction of Andrea Sansovino (1513-27), Ranieri Nerucci, and Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane. The statues of the Sybils and of the Prophets were inserted in their niches in a later period.

The Marble Screen consists of a podium with geometrical ornamentations, with a series of aligned columns articulated in two sections, crowned by Corinthian capitals supporting a projecting cornice. The balustrade, by Antonio da Sangallo, cloaks the ungainly barrel vault of the Holy House and also provides an elegant frame encasing the marvelous edifice.

Basilica tour of Our Lady of Loreto

This tour shows both internal and external parts of the Basilica. Headphones requested. Guided tours are allowed from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (weekly days) and from 12,30 p.m. to 16 p.m. (holidays).

Museum-Art gallery

It hosts some wooden models of the Basilica, which are very helpful to understand the architectural phases of its building. It’s possible to visit all 22 rooms of the Museum; the exhibition includes some detached frescos, too.

Outstanding among the various objects are some estimable canvases by Lorenzo Lotto, a fine collection of Renaissance ceramics, and 10 Raphaelesque tapestries. The collection of ancient apothecary pottery of the Holy House, considered one of the finest of the genre, is made up of a core group of 350 specimens, coming from the Orazio Fontana workshop.

Patrol walk away

It was built as a defense for the Shrine against the attacks of the Turkish fleet that sailed on the Adriatic sea. It’s a symbol of the strong military attention carried on by different Popes (Sisto IV, Giulio II Della Rovere, and Leone X de’ Medici) to protect the Holy House.

The building of this huge “Basilica-Fortress” attracted several of the greatest architects such as Baccio Pontelli, Donato Bramante, Antonio da Sangallo, and Cristoforo Resse.

Their work clearly shows the evolution of military defense based on the new fire weapons; the medieval war was over, the modern war started and this was assumed by a different pattern of edification.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

By Airplane

Airport of Falconara Marittima, then you can take a taxi or rent a car and you can reach Loreto in thirty minutes. Otherwise you can reach the station of Ancona by taxi or by shuttle bus.

By Car

Highway “A14 Bologna-Taranto”, exit to “Loreto-Porto Recanati”, then you must drive for 3 Km toward the town. The Basilica stands on the top of a hill and can be seen from the highway.

By Train

Railway “Ancona-Pescara”, station of Loreto or Ancona (then you can reach Loreto by local bus). The station of Loreto is only 2 Km away from the town’s centre.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Mass October to March – Saturday and weekdays:

  • 7 – 7.30 a.m. (in the Holy House)
  • 8.30 a.m.
  • 10 a.m.
  • 11 a.m.
  • 4.30 p.m.
  • 6 p.m.

Mass October to March – Sunday and holidays:

  • 7 a.m.
  • 8.30 a.m.  
  • 10 a.m.
  • 11 a.m.
  • 12 a.m.
  • 4 p.m.
  • 5 p.m.
  • 6 p.m.

Mass april to september – Saturday and weekdays:

  • 7 a.m. – 7.30 a.m. (in the Holy House)
  • 8.30 a.m.
  • 10 a.m.
  • 11 a.m.
  • 5 p.m.
  • 6.30 p.m.

Mass april to september – Sunday and holidays:

  • 7 a.m.
  • 8.30 a.m.
  • 10 a.m.
  • 11 a.m.
  • 12 a.m.
  • 5 p.m.
  • 6 p.m.
  • 7 p.m.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Posted in Europe, Italy and Top Shrines