Via Crucis of Communion and Liberation at the Sanctuary of Caravaggio
The Good Friday pilgrimage that every year fills the fields around the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte
About Via Crucis CL Caravaggio
A Good Friday Tradition in Caravaggio
The Via Crucis of Communion and Liberation has been a fixed event for many years on Good Friday at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte in Caravaggio, in the Bergamo plains a few kilometers from the border with the province of Cremona. The ecclesial movement of Communion and Liberation chooses this large Marian complex every year for its Easter gesture: a community prayer that retraces the stations of the Passion along the avenues and fields surrounding the basilica.
Two Moments on the Same Day
The day is marked by two distinct pilgrimages. In the morning, the university students of CLU (Comunione e Liberazione Universitari) gather, living the Via Crucis from the early hours until early afternoon. In the evening, it is the turn of adults, workers, and families, who walk the stations in the recollection of Holy Saturday. In both moments, prayer is guided by a specially prepared booklet, with meditations, readings, and songs.
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte
The Sanctuary of Caravaggio is one of the most important Marian sites in Lombardy, a destination for pilgrimages throughout the year. Built on the site where, according to tradition, the Virgin appeared in 1432 to the peasant woman Giannetta de' Vacchi, it houses the Holy Spring within. Its imposing structure, long tree-lined avenues, and ample green spaces make it particularly suitable for hosting the large crowds that converge here every Good Friday for the Via Crucis.
An Event Involving the Territory
The large turnout has concrete repercussions on the Municipality of Caravaggio and the entire area: during the day, traffic around the sanctuary is restricted to allow the event to take place safely. The event draws participants from all over the province of Bergamo, from Lombardy, and from other regions of Northern Italy, confirming Caravaggio's role as a spiritual reference point of interregional importance.
Via Crucis CL Caravaggio — edition 2026
On Good Friday, April 3, 2026, the Communion and Liberation community gathers at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte in Caravaggio for its annual Via Crucis. As tradition dictates, the day includes two moments: the morning pilgrimage of CLU youth and the evening one for adults. The sanctuary's Holy Week calendar confirms the Celebration of the Passion and Adoration of the Cross for the same day at 6:00 PM, and notes that traffic around the basilica will be limited to allow for the CL groups' event.
Programme Via Crucis CL Caravaggio 2026
The detailed program and the booklet of meditations are distributed by the movement's groups in the weeks before Easter. Traditional structure of the day:
- Morning — Via Crucis of university students of CLU around the Sanctuary (approximately from 10:00 AM to early afternoon).
- Evening — Via Crucis of adults along the basilica's avenues (approximate time 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM).
On the same day, the Sanctuary celebrates the 6:00 PM Celebration of the Passion and Adoration of the Cross; confessions at the Spirituality Center are available from 7:45 AM to 12:00 PM and from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
Highlights Via Crucis CL Caravaggio 2026
The two large gatherings of young people and adults, the singing and silence in the fields around the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte, one of the most beloved Marian sites in Lombardy.
Prices Via Crucis CL Caravaggio 2026
Practical information — Via Crucis CL Caravaggio
When
Good Friday, April 3, 2026. CLU Youth Via Crucis in the morning (from around 10:00 AM until early afternoon); Adult Via Crucis in the evening (approximate time 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM).
Where
Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Fonte, Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Caravaggio (BG). The fields and avenues around the basilica.
How to get there
Caravaggio is reachable by car from the SP ex SS11 and the A35 BreBeMi highway (Caravaggio exit). By train, Caravaggio station is on the Treviglio-Cremona line. Attention: on Good Friday, traffic around the sanctuary is limited.
Participation
Participation is free; registration takes place in the weeks prior through the movement's groups and Schools of Community.
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Where does it take place — Via Crucis CL Caravaggio
Santuario di Santa Maria del Fonte
Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII, 24043 Caravaggio