Discover the Spiritual and Cultural Treasures of Cammino Mariano
Cammino Mariano
The Cammino Mariano pilgrimage stems from the rediscovery of our beautiful traditions. During the great Marian festivals in our canton, our grandparents would walk to our shrines. The Madonna del Sasso in Orselina, the Madonna dei Miracoli in Morbio Inferiore. But also the Madonna del Castelletto in Melano and the Madonna d’Ongero in Carona.
The pilgrimage invites us to retrace the steps of our great-great-grandparents and rediscover the profound spirituality of Ticino.
When life was marked by the seasons. The processions of Our Lady in spring and autumn. The feasts of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or the patron saints. The church had established this large number of feasts to allow people to rest from their hard work in the fields and to cultivate their inner spiritual life.
Today, as then, the Cammino Mariano Way is an invitation to reflect on one’s own spiritual life, on the meaning of life in general. A seed to create a sprout of new life. Accompanied by the rosary and the pilgrim’s prayers, it is an aid to transcending the daily routine in order to fully understand our potential on this journey that is life. The Cammino Marian Way is for everyone, spiritual or not. The stages are completed according to one’s physical abilities.
Make sure to have always enough water with you, sunscreen, your phone with full battery.
The Cammino Mariano Way can be travelled in both directions. The route is approximately 70 km long and follows official Swiss trails. Some sections are on roads, such as the Melide Dam Bridge or the crossing of Lugano, and the final/initial sections in both Locarno and Morbio Interiore.
In this new website, we have added a section dedicated to religious and cultural tours of our architectural treasures in Ticino, by popular demand.
In order to meet the high demand from pilgrims who speak different languages, we have decided to offer a multilingual website. The texts on our website are translated automatically. There may be translation errors. We thank you for your understanding.
In the pictures: the signs of Cammino Mariano, Matteo the creator of the Cammino Mariano during a pilgrimage in the Garden of the Mother of God in Greece, The shrine of Madonna del Sasso in Orselina.
How can you best tackle the Marian Way?
Comfortable walking shoes for mountain trails.
Train before embarking on the Cammino Mariano Way.
Dress in layers and lightly, without forgetting a raincoat in case of rain. Check the weather forecast before setting off. In case of bad weather, it is strongly recommended to stop. With climate change, storms have become more violent, and falling trees cannot be ruled out. The Melide Carona San Salvatore section is a place with a very high concentration of thunder and lightning, so in case of rain, it is strictly forbidden to walk there. If, for physical or health reasons, you realise that the Melide San Salvatore Paradiso section or the Monte Bigorio section are too challenging for you, continue on a flat detour. The Marian Way is not a triathlon. Bring your blessed rosary, some prayer aids such as the prayers of Saint Brigid, patron saint of Europe and pilgrims. The legendary Swiss Army knife, because it is always useful, a water bottle always full of water, snacks to recharge your batteries in line with your diet. Your phone with a full battery. Make sure someone always knows where you are on the route, from where to where you want to go on the day. Have a blessed Cammino Mariano everyone!
Spiritual Reflections & Prayers
The Cammino Mariano Way is a journey of Marian spirituality that is always Christ-centred.
To best prepare for this journey, I highly recommend reading The Glories of Mary by Alphonsus Liguori or The Secret of Mary by Louis-Marie Grignon de Monfort in the months leading up to your departure.
Nine days before the start of the Marian Way, choose a novena dedicated to Saint Mary and recite it devoutly. Receive the sacraments of confession and communion. Ask your parish priest for a blessing.
Walk with the rosary in your hand and pray it repeatedly. Stop in churches to absorb the spirituality of the place and enjoy the architectural beauty and paintings. Ask for the intercession of the saints present in the holy relics on display as well as the patron saints of the church.
At the baptistery of Riva San Vitale, renew your baptismal promises, the beginning of your Christian life.
In the photo the Madonna procession in Mezzovico in spring.
Church Tours now available on request
The Cammino Mariano Way was created to revive a Ticino tradition by retracing the steps of our grandparents. Over the […]
The Original Marian Pilgrimage in Ticino with All Four Majors Marian Shrines
Stages
Morbio Inferiore Mendrisio Riva San Vitale
Departure from Morbio Inferiore shrine of Madonna dei Miracoli direction Castel San Pietro via Breggia river park. Visit of the church of St. Eusebius in Castel San Pietro. If you wish to visit the Red Church please arrange for the keys before travelling.
From Castel San Pietro to Mendrisio. Visit of the church of St. Cosma and Damian, St. Mary al Borgo. Church of St. John Baptist and Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. From there direction San Martino, the church is usually closed. Walk to Riva San Vitale with visit of St. Vital church the baptister and Church of the Holy Cross.
Riva San Vitale Melano Bissone Melide
From Riva San Vitale direction Melano.
Visit the church of St. Andrew, Church of Madonna al Castelletto it only open on certain occasions but key can be ask before your trip.
Church of St. Peter and Paul in Maroggia and Oratorio della Madonna della Cintura.
Keep walking in direction of Bissone where you will find two beautiful churches, St. Carpoforo church and St. Roch church. Cross the bridge to Melide.
Visit at SS. Quirico and Giuditta church. The square in front the church is dedicated to Don Sandro Vitalini an important theologian of the region. In Melide there is the Russian Orthodox Church open only during liturgies.
Melide Carona San Salvatore Paradiso
One of the most challenging stages of the Marian pilgrimage starts in Melide. You climb up to Carona, visiting the village churches and the sanctuary of the Madonna d’Ongero before continuing towards Ciona and the summit of San Salvatore. Visit the church and museum of the Confraternity of Good Death. Then descend to Paradiso.
Paradiso Lugano Cureglia Ponte Capriasca
From Paradiso, departure for Lugano with visits to the churches of Santa Maria degli Angioli, San Carlo Borromeo, San Rocco and Immacolata. Ascent to Lugano Cathedral, then on to Massagno with visits to the churches of Madonna della Salute and Santa Lucia, Crocefisso, and in Vezia, visit to the church of the Annunciation. The parish church of Cureglia houses important relics, including those of San Charbel Makhlouf. Continue to Origlio and Ponte Capriasca to admire the splendid copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.
Ponte Capriasca Bigorio Camignolo Rivera
From Ponte Capriasca, we head towards the Capuchin monastery of Bigorio, one of the oldest of the order, with a visit to the church dedicated to Santa Maria. We continue towards Camignolo. Visit to the church of Saints Peter and Paul. This stage ends in Rivera at the church of the Holy Spirit.
Rivera Quartino Gordola
This stage is a beautiful walk through the woods of Monte Ceneri and across the Magadino plain. I really like it because those who, like me, have walked the Camino de Santiago will experience the same emotion as on Monte Gozo when they see the spires of St James’ Cathedral. Just above Quartino, on the way down, you can see the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso in Orselina, the final destination of this pilgrimage. Visit the church of San Nicola di Bari in Quartino with a beautiful statue of St. Michael the Archangel, a replica of the one found in Monte Sant’Angelo in Puglia, where the archangel appeared.
Gordola Minusio Locarno Orselina
From Gordola, departure for the last stage towards Orselina. Visit to the church of Sant’Antonio Abate. Continue towards Tenero and the church of San Vincenzo Martire. Continue towards San Quirico in Minusio. Walk along the Locarno lakefront, visit San Vittore in Muralto. Enter the city of Locarno, visit the church of Santa Caterina and climb up to the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso. I recommend the meditations on the Way of the Cross by Pope Benedict XVI.
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