Churches and sanctuaries on the Island of Elba

There are numerous places of worship, parish churches, churches and ancient hermitages in Elba

Just like any other island, the survival of the locals in Elba, consisting mainly of farmers, fishermen and sailors, in the past depended entirely on the forces of nature: the land, the sea and the weather.

The reason why there are so many places of worship all over the island lies in the fact that the people were very devout believers in the divine protectors of their harvests, their fishing, their land and their sea.

Christianity changed these pagan places into sanctuaries and parish churches, mostly in honour of the Virgin Mary (who was often in place of Ceres, goddess of the land and fertility), or of any Saints whose characteristics in some way were similar to those of the pagan Gods.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, groups of monks and hermits sought refuge in the most isolated places, often grottos or small parish churches that they then turned into hermitages that today may seem very humble but are without a doubt very suggestive.