Last Sunday, on the feast of St Charles, we posted some photos of the Monte Sacro di Varallo, where he spent some time in retreat in October of 1584, shortly before returning to Milan to die. Since there are 44 shrines on this “sacred mountain”, as the Italians called them, representing episodes the life of Christ, we couldn’t show the whole series in a single post; here are some of Nicolas’ photos, from the “Ecce homo” to the Holy Sepulcher. At the end are photos of the main church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
“Ecce homo” (John 19, 5)
Pilate washes his hands
Christ is condemned to death
The carrying of the Cross; Christ meets Veronica
Christ is nailed to the Cross
The Crucifixion
The deposition from the Cross
The Pietà
Christ is laid in the shroud
The Holy Sepulcher
St Charles praying at the Holy Sepulcher
The Basilica of the Assumption, the main church of the Monte Sacro
In the basilica’s crypt, a statue representing the Virgin Mary laid to rest in Her tomb after the Dormition, before Her Assumption, rests over the altar.
