Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto
1 Piazza della Madonna Loreto
Nestled on a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the town of Loreto is home to one of the most treasured Marian pilgrimage sites in the world: the Shrine of the Holy House (Santa Casa). According to tradition, this is the very house where the Virgin Mary lived, received the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel, and raised the child Jesus.
The story of how this house came to rest in Loreto is nothing short of astonishing. In 1291, as Muslim forces advanced into the Holy Land, the house was believed to be miraculously transported from Nazareth—first to modern-day Croatia, and then, in 1294, across the Adriatic Sea to Loreto. Documents from the time also suggest the involvement of the noble Angelos family, who may have helped preserve the sacred structure—leading some to propose a combination of divine intervention and human cooperation. Yet for centuries, the faithful have held that angels carried the Holy House to safety, a belief affirmed through tradition and papal devotion.
What remains in Loreto today are the original three stone walls of the Nazareth home, preserved within a magnificent marble shrine inside the basilica. The house sits directly on the ground—without foundation—on a hillside where no local stone of its type exists, further deepening the mystery and affirming its sacred origin.
For pilgrims, stepping into the Holy House is an encounter with the hidden life of the Holy Family. This is the place where Mary said yes to God, where the Word became flesh, and where ordinary family life was sanctified by divine love. Within these humble stone walls, silence speaks volumes.
Loreto has drawn countless saints and popes, including St. John Paul II, who described it as a “school of the Gospel.” Pilgrims who come to pray in the Holy House often experience a profound sense of peace and maternal closeness to Our Lady, who is venerated here as Our Lady of Loreto, Patroness of Aviators and of the universal journey toward Christ.
In this Jubilee Year, Loreto invites the faithful to pause, enter into the mystery of the Incarnation, and entrust their lives and families to the loving care of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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Join Teresa Tomeo on a spiritual journey in Italy! In this free video series, you’ll walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi, and Bl. Carlo Acutis. Explore the places where they lived, prayed, and learned to surrender themselves to God. Most importantly we’ll be inspired by their examples to grow stronger in our Catholic faith as we, too, seek to become saints.
As you embark on this pilgrimage, reflect on God’s gifts revealed through the lives of the saints, the beauty of sacred art, and the splendor of magnificent churches and basilicas.