The Virgin Mary / Santa Maria 

The patron saint of the Altopiano di Pine region (including Baselga di Pine) is the Virgin Mary, or the Madonna di Pine. According to historical accounts, the townspeople of Montagnaga were devoted to the Madonna di Caravaggio (the site of Mary’s appearance three centuries before) and often visited the shrine at Treviglio. On one such pilgrimage, Giacomo Moser returned with a portrait of the Madonna and subsequently placed it over the alter at the Santa Anna Church in Montagnaga, as a symbol of devotion to the Madonna.

Sometime later, the Madonna began appearing to a young Montagnaga shepherdess, Domenica Targa, making as many as five appearances. The first occurred on 14 May 1729, while Domenica was in a field tending her sheep, unable to attend the town festivities. Around noon, all of the animals were frightened and fled. Fearful of the event, Domenica began citing the rosary and pled for the help of Jesus and Mary. At that moment, the Virgin Mary appeared. Domenica subsequently expressed her devotion and inability to travel to the Caravaggio shrine. Mary then instructed Domenica to immediately travel to Montagnaga and enter the Santa Anna Church. There, kneeling on the first step, she would receive a miracle. Domenica immediately left the field and proceeded to the church, where the parishioners were praying for rain. While kneeling as instructed, Domenica received a second apparition. Mary appeared at the alter with a baby and the rosary, and exhorted Domenica to reveal the apparition to all at the church.

After revealing the divine apparition, the priest summoned church officials from Baselga. Upon arrival, they gathered in the church where Mary appeared to Domenica a third time, with the baby Jesus in her arms and bleeding from wounds. At that time, Mary blessed the alter picture (Madonna di Caravaggio) and exhorted Domenica to exclaim, “the happy Virgin comes.” Mary then approved her worship at the church. Mary also revealed the wounds of the divine child and explained they were wounds of sins, and urged prayer for the conversion of sinners.

Two days later, still facing skepticism, Domenica received a fourth apparition in which Mary consoled the young shepherdess and urged her to expose all to her confessor, don Michele Bernardi. As a result, Domenica’s experiences were presented to the Church for ecclesiastical recognition of the appearances. Sometime in 1730, the Church officially approved Montagnaga’s devotion to the risen Mary and authorized an annual commemorative celebration, to be conducted on May 26th. The date coincided with the anniversary of Domenica’s second apparition and the anniversary of the Madonna of Caravaggio.

On May 26, 1730, the Virgin Mary appeared to Domenica for the final time, appearing in the church of Santa Anna, where she invoked the blessing of the Getlteman over the multitude present.

In June 1730, in the face of vast pilgrimage to the sight, Pope Benedetto XIII granted complete recognition of the apparitions and worship. The Sanctuary of the Madonna  di Pine was subsequently erected on the site to welcome the numerous pilgrims. It remains a sigificant place of hope and conversion.