Madonna della Villa Sanctuary

The Madonna of the Villa in Sant Egidio was built at the end of the XIV century with the aim of protecting a shrine containing the image of a Madonna and Child from the XIV century, considered miraculous. It has the characteristics of a processional sanctuary with two access doors placed on the short sides, and is located on the ancient road, which leads to the sanctuaries of Assisi and Loreto.

From the XIV to the XVI century, thanks to the contributions of the pilgrims, the sanctuary was enriched with more than 50 votive frescoes, which represent popular devotion. The result is a surface of over 230 square meters of frescoes, from Umbrian and Senese schools, painted also in several layers one above the other, which make the church a small and precious picture gallery of the Marian cult in Umbria

The most represented subject is the Madonna and Child, also depicted as the Madonna of the milk, together with the saints, Sant'Antonio Abbate (protector of animals), San Cristoforo (invoked to protect from hail and floods, as well as saint of pilgrims), San Sebastiano (protector from the plague) and Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (precious for breast-feeding women and nurses).