Within Lucca's Renaissance walls—four kilometers of ramparts so broad that carriages once raced atop them—stands one of Christendom's most enigmatic relics. The Volto Santo, an eight-foot wooden crucifix said to have been carved by Nicodemus himself, has drawn pilgrims to this Tuscan city for over twelve centuries. Medieval kings swore oaths per sanctum vultum de Lucca; merchants from Flanders to Sicily invoked its protection. The crucifix's dark walnut features show Christ not in agony but triumph—eyes open, head upright, robed in a carved tunic rather than a loincloth—a Byzantine vision of resurrection that predates the suffering crucifixes of later centuries. Lucca sits at the heart of the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrim road from Canterbury to Rome. Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury passed through in 990 AD, recording it as one of seventy-nine Italian stops on his return journey from receiving the pallium. For medieval pilgrims, the Volto Santo was reason enough to detour from the main route. Today, the crucifix—recently restored to reveal its original vivid polychromy beneath centuries of candle smoke—awaits in an octagonal marble tempietto crafted by Matteo Civitali in 1484. Yet Lucca holds more than one treasure. In the Basilica of San Frediano, the incorrupt body of St. Zita lies in a glass shrine—a servant girl whose bread turned to flowers and whose death bells tolled without human hands. The church itself was founded by an Irish bishop who diverted a river with a rake. History layers upon miracle here, each generation leaving its witness in stone and paint and legend.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Lucca's Christian heritage begins with St. Frediano (Fridianus), an Irish prince who became bishop around 560 AD. Gregory the Great records that when the River Serchio threatened to flood the city, Frediano walked to its banks with a simple rake and traced a new channel through the earth. The waters followed obediently, and the city was saved. He founded the church that bears his name and died in 588, leaving a community that would shape Lucca's spiritual identity for centuries. The Volto Santo's arrival transformed the city into a major pilgrimage destination. According to tradition, Nicodemus—the Pharisee who helped bury Christ—carved the crucifix from memory but fell asleep unable to complete the face. Angels finished the work. Centuries later, the crucifix was discovered in a cave near Jerusalem and placed on an unmanned ship, which divine providence guided to the Italian coast. In 782 AD, the Bishop of Lucca, guided by a dream, claimed the relic for his cathedral. Radiocarbon dating places the crucifix between 770 and 880 AD, making it the oldest surviving monumental wooden sculpture in Western Christianity. The legend may be apocryphal, but the devotion it inspired was real: medieval pilgrims came from across Europe, and the Volto Santo appeared on Lucca's coins and seals. The city's prosperity—built on silk trade and banking—was attributed to its protection. The cathedral itself was consecrated in 1070 by Pope Alexander II, who had served as Bishop of Lucca before his elevation. The present façade, with its three-arched portico of mismatched columns, dates from 1204—the work of Guidetto da Como. One arch is narrower than the others, squeezed to accommodate the pre-existing campanile. This asymmetry gives the cathedral its distinctive character, a reminder that sacred architecture grows organically from the constraints of time and place.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Lucca
Cattedrale di San Martino
Cathedral of St. Martin / Duomo di Lucca
Consecrated in 1070 by Pope Alexander II, the cathedral houses the Volto Santo in Matteo Civitali's 1484 tempietto—an octagonal marble chapel lit by candles that have burned continuously for centuries. The crucifix depicts Christ alive and triumphant, eyes open, robed in a carved Byzantine tunic. Recent restoration (2022–2025) has revealed the original polychromy: lapis lazuli blue vestments with gold-bordered edges, naturalistic flesh tones beneath the accumulated centuries of candle smoke. The cathedral also contains Jacopo della Quercia's funeral monument to Ilaria del Carretto (1406)—a young noblewoman whose marble effigy captures her in eternal sleep, a small dog at her feet—and works by Ghirlandaio and Tintoretto. On a pillar near the right entrance, a carved labyrinth from the 12th or 13th century bears a Latin inscription referencing Theseus and Ariadne's thread: a reminder that the pilgrim's path, like the maze, leads through darkness to light.
Basilica di San Frediano
Basilica of St. Frediano
Founded in the sixth century by St. Frediano himself and rebuilt between 1112 and 1147, this Romanesque basilica is dominated by a 13th-century golden mosaic of Christ's Ascension with the apostles below—a Byzantine shimmer against the Tuscan sky. St. Frediano's relics rest beneath the main altar. In the Chapel of St. Zita, the servant-saint's incorrupt body lies in a glass shrine—naturally mummified now, but found uncorrupted when exhumed in 1580. Near the entrance, a sarcophagus contains the remains of St. Richard the Pilgrim, a seventh-century English king who died in Lucca on his way to Rome. Ambrogio Aspertini's frescoes (1508–1509) in the Chapel of the Cross depict both the Volto Santo legend—its miraculous journey from the Holy Land—and St. Frediano diverting the River Serchio with his rake. The church also houses Jacopo della Quercia's polyptych in the Trenta Chapel.
San Michele in Foro
Church of St. Michael in Foro
The church occupies the site of Lucca's Roman forum, its soaring façade crowned by a four-meter statue of the Archangel Michael. Though not primarily a pilgrimage destination, it marked the city's civic and spiritual center for medieval pilgrims arriving via the Via Francigena.
The Labyrinth
Carved into a pillar of the cathedral's portico, this 80-centimeter monocursal labyrinth—possibly predating the famous labyrinth at Chartres—served as a meditation for pilgrims. Its Latin inscription speaks of Theseus escaping the Minotaur's maze through Ariadne's thread: a medieval allegory for Christ guiding the soul through the darkness of sin to salvation.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Luminara di Santa Croce — September 13–14
On the evening of September 13, thousands of candles—placed on windowsills, cornices, and architectural reliefs throughout the historic center—transform Lucca into a city of flickering light. A solemn procession carries the Volto Santo through the candlelit streets from San Frediano to the cathedral, accompanied by representatives of the medieval terzieri (thirds) of the city in historical costume. The following day, September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, sees High Mass celebrated before the crucifix—the culmination of Lucca's most important religious observance.
Feast of St. Zita — April 27
Pilgrims and locals gather at San Frediano to venerate the servant-saint. A flower market fills the piazza, and families bring daffodils to her shrine. Traditional bakers prepare special breads in memory of her miracle.
Feast of St. Frediano — March 18
The city honors its Irish patron with liturgies at his basilica, though the celebration is more subdued than the September festivities.
🥾 Pilgrim Routes
Lucca sits at stages 27–28 of the historic Via Francigena, the 1,900-kilometer pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome. The city served as a critical waypoint: pilgrims could venerate the Volto Santo, rest within the protection of its walls, and continue south through Tuscany toward the Eternal City. The section from Lucca to Rome spans approximately 400 kilometers—roughly eighteen stages taking about three weeks on foot. Modern pilgrims can obtain the testimonium certificate in Rome by completing at least the final 100 kilometers.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotel Ilaria ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Set in the converted stables of Villa Buonvisi within the historic walls, this elegant hotel offers complimentary bicycles and hosts a daily manager's reception on its garden terrace. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Grand Universe Lucca, Autograph Collection ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Historic palazzo overlooking Piazza del Giglio, steps from the Cathedral of San Martino. Hosted guests since 1857, with Roman foundations visible in the cellar. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Intimate boutique hotel in a restored townhouse within the ancient walls, featuring rooms with hand-painted frescoes. Ten-minute walk from the cathedral. Reserve this hotel
Albergo San Martino ⭐⭐⭐ — Steps from the cathedral bearing the same name, this family-run hotel provides a convenient base for pilgrims focused on the Volto Santo. Reserve this hotel
Hotel La Luna ⭐⭐⭐ — Occupying an 18th-century renovated palace in the heart of the historic center, steps from Piazza Anfiteatro. Excellent local knowledge and restaurant recommendations. Reserve this hotel
Hotel San Marco ⭐⭐⭐ — Located just outside the historic walls near Porta San Jacopo, featuring a swimming pool and free parking—useful for pilgrims arriving by car. Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Train: Lucca's train station lies just outside the southern walls, with frequent connections to Pisa (30 minutes), Florence (1.5 hours), and Rome (3 hours via Florence).
By Air: Pisa International Airport is 18 kilometers away.
By Car: The city center is entirely car-free within the walls, making it ideal for exploration on foot or by bicycle.
Local Transport: The historic center, enclosed by intact Renaissance walls, is entirely walkable (roughly one kilometer across). The walls themselves serve as a tree-lined promenade offering an elevated circuit of the city.
📚 Further Reading
Michele Camillo Ferrari. Il Volto Santo in Europa: Culto e immagini del Crocifisso nel Medioevo — Scholarly study of the Volto Santo cult (in Italian).
Giulia Mafai. The Via Francigena: 1000 Kilometres on Foot from Canterbury to Rome — Pilgrim's guide to the historic route through Lucca.
🔗 Useful Links
Lucca Tourism Official Portal – Comprehensive visitor information.
Volto Santo Restoration Project – Updates on conservation of the crucifix.
Via Francigena Official Site – Route planning, credential information, and accommodation.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Florence (61 km) — Santa Croce, San Marco, and the cathedral of Brunelleschi.
Siena (88 km) — Home of St. Catherine of Siena and the magnificent cathedral.
Bologna (99 km) — Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca and the tomb of St. Dominic.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"A crucified Christ with a face both serene and sorrowful, with open eyes that seem to fix upon whoever looks at him." — Vatican News, on the Volto Santo
