Yeap, you’ve read well 😉 There is a legend that explains why saint Margaret is a Vernazza’s patron. In fact, the main church of the village is dedicated to Saint Margaret. Let’s know something more about the story of that saint in Cinque Terre 😉
Legend
In Vernazza, it is believed that in the ancient times a box with remains of saint Margaret’s finger (!) was found on the Vernazza’s beach. The inhabitants of the hamlet interpreted that event as a sign of the saint and decided to build a church as a place where to shield the remains.
The church was built in a part of Vernazza called “isolotto” where it was exposed to the sea waves. In fact, after some time, the church was destroyed by a strong, coastal storm. What is more, after the destruction, the box with the remains was lost. The inhabitants were extremally worried, cause it looked like saint Margaret had left Vernazza.
Fortunately, after some time, the box with the rests reappeared again on the Vernazza’s beach! In the same place where it had been found before. That’s why the inhabitants decided to build a new church in the place where the box was found, that is the exact place where the actual Vernazza’s church is located.
Church
The building is located next to the main square of Vernazza, very next to the sea. It was built in 1318 and as I’ve written before it is dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antiochia. In fact, Saint Margaret is the patron of Vernazza and inhabitants of the hamlet celebrate her every year on July 20th.
And thanks to the legend and Saint Margaret also Cinque Terre have their miracles and magical places 🙂 Remember it when you take a sunbath in the Vernazza’s beach 😉
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