Sanctuary of Saints Pellegrino and Bianco

Castiglione Garfagnana

The hospital of S. Pellegrino "dell´Alpe" – as it is referred to in old documents and the oral tradition – is found on the mountain stretch of an important medieval road: from the historical via Clodia, that from Lucca leads up towards the sources of the river Serchio, a road branched off at the Parish Church of Fosciana that crossed the Apennines in the direction of Modena. This was a focal point of the line that united the two main centres of interest of the aristocratic families of Canossa, the then marquis of Tuscany, for whom it clearly had strategic importance, but up to the 13^th century it also had great importance for the trade of goods between Lucca and the Lombard-Emilian area, especially in securing Lucca access to the Versilia coast. Besides assisting wayfarers, traders and pilgrims, the hospital also had the tasks of maintaining the road and guiding those who used it – responsibilities that on the other mountainside were met by the powerful Benedictine Abbey of Frassinoro, endowed and protected by Beatrice and Matilde di Canossa in 1071.
The Hospital is first documented in 1110 as recipient of a large donation by a member of the political association of aristocratic families of Careggine, also property owners in the nearby Parish Church of Fosciana.
The church and hospital are recorded in 1168 and again in the "Estimo" of 1260, although in 1255 it had been directly subjugated to the Santa Sede upon request. It had always been considered part of the diocese of Lucca until, in 1826, already having lost its functions and dependent on the nearby Church of Chioggia, it passed to the newly-formed diocese of Massa, together with three other churches in areas controlled by the ducal family of Este. It acquired the title of parish Church in 1912 and only in 1992 did it return to the diocese of Lucca.
The church’s and hospital’s most active period was in the 12^th and 13^th century, when sources record even imperial donations, the growth of income and the presence of numerous lay brothers who worked the hospital owned land, pastured their flocks, and were allowed to collect financial donations free of duty in the whole central Italy. These lay brothers, adherents to the Augustinian rule (but not order), were obliged to wear armorial bearings of Saint Pellegrino at all times.

The last act indicative of reasonable prosperity was the reconstruction of the buildings annexed to the church, recorded in 1235.
From the second half of the 13th century a period of progressive decline took way, that was only slightly contrasted by a transformation from hospice-hospital for wayfarers and the sick to sanctuary for veneration of the remains of Saint Pellegrino – more of a legendary than historical figure, given that it has been impossible to ascertain if this is the French bishop-confessor protector of pilgrims, or a Pilgrim martyr whose remains are said to have been brought to Lucca in the 8^th century or a travelling Scottish bishop, who arrived in Garfagnana and chose it as a place of hermitage.
Not knowing the date of death, the festival of Saint Pellegrino is celebrated on the day designated by tradition for the church’s consecration: August 1^st.
The pilgrimages, concentrated in August and May, continued until the end of the 17^th century: reassurances on the validity of the indulgence that one could obtain this way were periodically given: one of the first of these, in 1346, assured that the forgiveness "for those who went to San Pellegrino" was equal to that of "Saint Francesco of Sisi".
The building seen today largely dates to the 15^th century, when the management of the hospital was taken away from the governor and lay brothers and given in jus patronatus to a family from Castiglione Garfagnana, who provided it with two rectors. Lionello and Jacopo de´ Nobili, were responsible for the readaptation of church and hospital, also recorded by a plaque from 1462 and the commission a Matteo Civitali of the marble tomb completed between 1474 and 1484 for the remains of Saint Pellegrino.
The "Pastoral Visits" of the 17^th century reveals some partial modifications: the rearrangement of the bones of San Pellegrino, as one could see them in Civitali’s tomb, and those of another mysterious companion, the blessed Bianco, that had since been added.
The recomposition (effected using wax and entrusted to a famous anatomist of the time, Girolamo Cremona) included replacing the old tomb with a new gilt wooden urn, and moving this from its previous position at the centre of the church.
In 1670 another family member rebuilt the bell tower. But by that time the patronage system was felt only in the possibility of using the old hospital grounds. The buildings in ruin, the hospice was completely abandoned and the diocese took over care of the Church.
Over recent years, thanks to the interests of the church rector, Don Luigi Pellegrini, an ethnographic museum has been opened in the old hospital, owned by the Province of Lucca.