Santuario della Madonna Adonai Augusta

If you’re looking for things to do in Augusta, you should definitely consider taking a trip to the area of Brucoli, to check out the Santuario della Madonna Adonai, or the Madonna of Adonai Sanctuary. The earliest information we have regarding the place where the sanctuary sits, as a Christian place of worship, dates to the third century AD. This was the era of Christian persecution, under the Roman emperors, Decius and Valerian. Legend has it that a number of Christian martyrs appeared to Saint Agatone, Bishop of Lipari, in a dream and spoke to him of this location as a safe refuge from persecution.

In the 16th century, a shepherd discovered a small grotto while rescuing one of his cows that fell. In the grotto, he found the remains of what was once a place of Christian worship, which contained a legendary image of the Virgin Mary. This grotto was most likely the place of worship created by Saint Agatone after his dream. The news of the grotto’s discovery was received as a miracle and the spot became a destination for scores of religious pilgrims. In the 17th century, a group of Spanish knights decided to dedicate their lives to faith after having seen the beauty of the sanctuary and of the image of the Virgin. A convent was constructed, which can still be seen today.