Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei

The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary stands at the heart of the modern town of Pompei, on the Piazza Bartolo Longo, a short walk from the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance to the ruins. It is one of the most important Marian shrines in Italy and a major place of pilgrimage. The church was begun in 1876 by the lawyer Bartolo Longo and Countess Marianna De Fusco, who had devoted themselves to spreading devotion to the Rosary in what was then a poor rural area, and it was raised to the rank of pontifical basilica in 1901. It is also the cathedral of the Territorial Prelature of Pompei.

The building was enlarged in the 1930s with two side aisles, giving it its present spacious interior, and the imposing façade and tall bell tower dominate the square. Above the high altar is the venerated image of Our Lady of the Rosary, an old painting that Longo brought to Pompei in 1875 and which became the focus of devotion. Around the sanctuary, Longo founded orphanages and charitable institutions, and the modern town grew up around them.

The sanctuary is especially crowded on 8 May and on the first Sunday of October, when the Supplica, the solemn plea to the Virgin of Pompei, is recited before large crowds. Popes including John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis have visited. Entry is free, and visitors are welcome outside the main services, with modest dress expected. A visit fits easily before or after a tour of the archaeological park.