National Pilgrimage to the Madonna degli Alpini Shrine

A shrine in the Cuneo mountains

On the hills separating the municipalities of Cervasca and Vignolo, in the province of Cuneo, stands the San Maurizio and Madonna degli Alpini Sanctuary, in the hamlet named after the saint. This is no ordinary place of worship: adopted by the Cuneo ANA section, it has become a shrine dedicated to the memory of the fallen and missing soldiers of the Cuneense Alpine Division during World War II. Among its trees and crosses, the 1,247 fallen on the Western Front, the 417 in Greece, and the over 13,000 missing in the tragic Russian campaign are remembered.

San Maurizio, patron saint of the Alpini

San Maurizio has been the patron saint of the Alpine troops since 1938. A martyr and fearless fighter, commander of the Theban Legion, he was martyred in the mountains of Agaunum, in the Canton of Valais. Because of this bond with the mountains and the sacrifice of soldiers, the sanctuary is a privileged destination for the 'black feathers'. It was Father Guido Turla, chaplain of the Saluzzo battalion, who commissioned the painter Luigi Guglielmino to create the painting of the Madonna degli Alpini, which was solemnly brought up here on November 3, 1946, by veterans of the Russian campaign. The dual dedication was consecrated by the Bishop in 1961.

The solemn national pilgrimage

Every year, at the beginning of May, the Cuneo ANA section organizes the Solemn National Pilgrimage to the shrine, marking the seasonal reopening of the sanctuary. It is one of the most heartfelt events for the Alpini community: in the days leading up to it, various columns of pilgrims set off on foot from the Cuneo valleys, reaching Cervasca after several stages of mountain trekking—a journey that combines sport, spirituality, and memory. On the final Sunday, the sanctuary fills with municipal gonfalons, sectional banners, and the national labarum of the ANA, attended by civil and military authorities.

A tradition growing year by year

Established in 2022 as the first solemn national pilgrimage, the event has quickly become a landmark, attracting sections from all over Italy. The main day includes the flag-raising, institutional greetings, Holy Mass in suffrage of the fallen, and performances by Alpini choirs. For Cervasca, Vignolo, and the entire province of Cuneo in Piedmont, it is a moment of strong identity that binds the local community to the world of the 'black feathers' and the memory of a dramatic chapter in national history.