The crowns of Gallivaggio

Through a fortunate turn of circumstances, the precious ornaments that once adorned the head of the Madonna and Child have returned close to the venerated statue in the sanctuary where, on October 10, 1492, the Virgin appeared to two young girls.
Half-hidden in the small cobbled courtyard next to the church of San Lorenzo in Chiavenna, accessible through a massive green door, lies a precious exhibition space: the Museo del Tesoro della Collegiata di San Lorenzo. On quieter days, it’s not easy for me to stay anchored to my desk waiting for the next visitors — the temptation to take a closer look at the works on display is always strong. In the silverware room, there’s a special, enveloping atmosphere.

In complete silence, the sacred artifacts seem to converse with one another, bouncing light off their bodies made of gleaming metal sheets. The flow of glimmers draws the eye from one object to the next, until it settles on some gem which, catching the light in turn, produces wonderful colors. On the right-hand wall, a pair of small crowns ask to be admired a little more closely. One might picture them on the head of some fortunate newborn, and yet their purpose was quite different: to adorn the little heads of the Madonna and Child in the Sanctuary of Gallivaggio, in Valle Spluga, not far from Chiavenna. These are two diadems, each made up of a base studded with colored gems and eight sheets of pure gold worked using the ancient repoussé technique, which involves applying pressure to the back of the metal to impress an image. In this case, the sheets are decorated with scrolling foliage and the faces of tender little angels.

At the top of each crown rises the globus cruciger: the earthly sphere surmounted by a cross, symbolizing the deep bond between faith and earthly affairs. This symbolic image is especially fitting for the place these crowns were made for, given the numerous documented cases of wonders, miracles, and healings attributed to the intervention of the Madonna of Gallivaggio. Over the years, the two crowns were brought to the Museum for better protection, leaving replicas on the heads of the two statues. Following the landslide in 2018, which damaged the Sanctuary of Gallivaggio, the wooden statue of the Virgin is currently being housed in the Chapel of Santa Marta, adjoining the church of San Lorenzo. I often wonder whether, close to her ancient jewels once again, the Virgin appreciates this temporary stay in Chiavenna, awaiting her hoped-for return home.

The winter opening of the Museo del Tesoro offers the chance to admire the splendid pieces held in this beautiful gallery, each with its own extraordinary story of faith and culture, which I will be delighted to share with the visitors who come to see us.