In the woodlands on the Hill of the Dead, the Sanctuary of Somazzo or Church of San Giuseppe has been the place of a strange pilgrimage for ages. According to legend, praying to the three girls said to be entombed alive in the church is said to bring rain in times of drought.
Near the Swiss-Italian border outside Brusata, in Novazzano, where the lush greenery of Ticino meets the rustic charm of Lombardy, stands the Church of San Giuseppe in Somazzo, also known as the Sanctuary of Somazzo, or even the Sanctuary of the Dead. The church on top of the Hill of the Dead in the middle of the woods is a serene yet haunting sanctuary with a story as mysterious as the mists that often gather around its spire.
Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland and Italy
The current religious building was constructed by expanding a previous oratory dedicated to San Cassiano, whose existence is attested as early as the 15th century where the oldest historical mention dates back to 1423. In the 17th to the 20th century, hermits used to settle around the sanctuary. In a visit from the bishop in 1671, the building was called “Oratorio delle Anime Purganti” and indicated a dedication to the souls in purgatory.
To the unassuming visitor, the Sanctuary of Somazzo may appear as just another picturesque rural church, but local legend speaks of a chilling sacrifice and a miraculous legacy tied to its stones.
A Haunting Legend of Three Girls
According to oral tradition passed down, the Church of San Giuseppe hides a tragic and unsettling secret. The tradition comes to life during times of drought.
Long ago, during a time of religious fervor and superstition, three young girls were said to have been walled up alive on the north side of the Uggiate sanctuary because they resisted a lord who wanted to abuse them or because they wanted to keep the women’s fidelity to their husbands.. “To keep faith with the husband,” is written on the sanctuary wall.
Legend has it that a kiln worker from Riva San Vitale who was passing by heard their cries and helped them by offering them water with his hat through holes in the wall. As thanks they gave a prophecy: “When you are thirsty, come to us and we will quench your thirst.”
Miracles on the Hill of the Dead
The phenomenon has persisted well into modern times. Farmers and devout villagers from both sides of the border make their way to the hilltop Sanctuary of Somazzo during particularly dry seasons, holding onto hope, and often, walking away in awe when the skies open shortly after.
Rather than fading into obscurity, the legend grew. Over time, locals began to believe that these girls, martyred in silence, had been granted a unique and powerful gift: the ability to bring rain. In times of prolonged drought people began to climb the hill to San Giuseppe, praying to the spirits of the girls for relief. “Nem a tö l’acqua a Ügiaa,” they say in Riva.
A particularly memorable edition of the procession in Mendrisiotto was held in 1976. On that occasion, the faithful of Riva walked to the sanctuary at the height of a long drought. Their initiative was followed by several days of heavy rain. It rained so much that “the lake rose and the firefighters worked for weeks to empty our cellars.” as the river overflowed.
As one who actually attended one a couple of the processions said: “I don’t believe it, but I can confirm,” an elderly man reports, “out of four processions I’ve attended, it rained four times.”
A Place of Faith and Mystery at the Sanctuary of Somazzo
The Church of San Giuseppe, humble in its architecture and quiet in demeanor, has become a spiritual focal point for those who believe in the intertwined powers of nature, sacrifice, and the divine. While no historical records confirm the story of the three girls walled up in the walls of the Sanctuary of Somazzo, the power of the tale endures.
There are however the supposed relics of the three girls still kept at the sanctuary of the dead, dedicated to the people in purgatory.
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References:
La leggenda e la profezia In processione per l’acqua
Il piccolo valico che apre solo due volte l’anno (una per San Giuseppe)
Santuario di Somazzo – Wikipedia
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