THE PARISH

The Abbey of Santa Maria di Follina, located in the province of Treviso, was originally established as a Cistercian monastery.
The parish took shape around this important place of worship in 1819, transforming it into a gathering space for the local community and visitors. Its position, close to the passes of Praderadego and San Boldo, has made it a necessary stop for pilgrims over the centuries.
The church of the Follina Abbey was elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1921. The then-parish priest, a paternal figure for the Follina community and a great supporter of architectural restoration, was Father Anacleto Maria Milani, Servant of Mary.
Thanks to him, in addition to achieving basilica status, the site received the designation of National Monument and the solemn coronation of the Madonna statue by the Patriarch of Venice.

THE SANCTUARY

A jewel of Romanesque-Gothic architecture, the sanctuary of Santa Maria di Follina is located at the foot of the Prealpi Trevigiane, between Vittorio Veneto and Valdobbiadene. Its position, close to the passes of Praderadego and San Boldo, has made it a mandatory stop for pilgrims over the centuries.
Longtime guardian of the effigy of the Madonna with Child—a historic stone statue of unknown origins—the Abbey of Follina is itself a destination of devotion. It is a reference point within the Diocese of Vittorio Veneto and has a special historical connection with the faithful of the Piave basin and the Belluno valleys. Even today, the spiritual bond with the peoples of the Alpago is renewed each year through the centuries-old pilgrimage on Pentecost day.
However, increasingly more visitors from other parts of Italy and Europe are arriving at the Follina sanctuary, attracted by the beauty and tranquility of the cloister and the depth of its history.

THE BASILICA

The church of the Abbey of Follina was elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1921. This significant event took place during a period of great activity: it was indeed the years of restoration of the abbey complex, which had been degraded by the transformation of the cloister space into residences and was struck by a wartime device at the end of World War I. The parish priest of that time, a paternal figure for the Follina community and a great advocate of architectural restoration, was Father Anacleto Maria Milani, Servant of Mary. To him are owed, in addition to the basilica status, the designation of National Monument and the solemn crowning of the Madonna statue by the Patriarch of Venice.

THE HISTORY

Santa Maria's Follina Abbey is a monastic complex located at the foot of the Prealpine Treviso Mountains. Its original layout is due to the work of Cistercian monks who arrived in the valley - the ancient Valmareno - around the mid-12th century. The new construction was started on a site already inhabited by a settlement, about which no information is available today, but which is evidenced by the discovery, after World War I, of architectural remains beneath the church's flooring.
The Cistercian construction site - which, as Saint Bernard indicated, should be near water, mountain, and plain, and designed to ensure silence - features a place of worship alongside areas for daily life, connected by the construction of the cloister in 1268. The latter, the true beating heart of the abbey, is distinguished by a forest of foliated capitals, representing an elegant petrified forest that symbolizes the diversity of nature, the true teacher of the monk.
Architecture...

Leggi di pi�

SCHEDULE OF HOLY MASSES
Variations throughout the year

WORKING DAYS

FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY MORNING

9:00 AM AND 6:30 PM, IN THE CLOISTER CHAPEL

SATURDAY EVENING

PRE-HOLIDAYS

7.00 PM

SUNDAY

HOLIDAYS

9.00 AM - 10.30 AM - 4.00 PM IN BASILICA

IN THE COLDEST MONTHS

ON SATURDAY EVENING, THE CELEBRATION TAKES PLACE IN THE CLOISTER CHAPEL.
ON SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS, IT IS HELD IN THE ORATORY, LOCATED BELOW THE SMALL CLOISTER, AT STREET LEVEL.

LITURGY

The Liturgy of the Hours (the prayer of the entire Church worldwide) includes the morning prayer at 8:30 AM and the evening prayer at 6:10 PM.
In this Parish, entrusted since 1915 to the Servite Friars, prayer is offered with hymns and the translation of the Psalms elaborated by Brother David Maria Turoldo.
Anyone can entrust the memory of a deceased person to be remembered during the celebration of the Mass, along with a free offering; similarly, one can propose a personal prayer intention, supplication, or hope to be shared during celebrations on specific days chosen together.

SCOUT GROUP

The Follina 1 FSE Santa Maria di Sanavalle Scout Group is composed of around seventy members, including children and girls aged 8 to 11 years (Lupetti and Coccinelle), boys and girls aged 12 to 16 years (Explorers and Guides), and young people aged 17 to 22 years (Rover and Scolte), as well as about twenty responsible leaders and a priest who serves as the group′s religious assistant.
The colors chosen for the neckerchief are light blue, in honor of the Madonna who has protected the town and the entire valley for centuries; red (which, together with light blue, appears on the municipal banner); and yellow (which, along with light blue, recalls Mary′s veil and crown).
The educational path proposed aims to develop character, manual skills, physical well-being, and a spirit of service towards others in a harmonious and progressive manner.