The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Trieste, Italy

Trieste offers Catholic pilgrims the renowned National Shrine of Mary Mother and Queen at Monte Grisa, built as a symbol of peace after WWII salvation.

Trieste stands at Italy's northeastern frontier, where the Alps tumble into the Adriatic and the cultures of Rome, Vienna, and the Slavic east have intermingled for millennia. Rising dramatically above the city on the Karst Plateau, the striking triangular silhouette of Monte Grisa—the National Shrine of Mary Mother and Queen—commands views across the Gulf of Trieste and into neighboring Slovenia. Locals call it affectionately el formaggino (the little cheese) for its distinctive shape, yet this bold monument of faith represents one of Italy's most remarkable modern pilgrimages: a bishop's wartime vow fulfilled, a city spared from destruction. On April 30, 1945, with Trieste threatened by the chaos of war's final days, Bishop Antonio Santin made a solemn promise to the Madonna: if the city were saved from destruction, he would build a church in her honor. The city survived, and in 1959 Pope John XXIII authorized the construction of a national Marian shrine as a symbol of peace and unity among all peoples. On May 1, 1992, Pope John Paul II climbed to Monte Grisa to pray in this temple where he called the sanctuary "the Marian heart of the Diocese of Trieste." Today, pilgrims arrive from Italy and Slovenia alike, drawn both by the shrine's spiritual significance and by the ancient Cathedral of San Giusto, which preserves 12th-century Byzantine mosaics and the relics of the city's martyred patron saint.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

Trieste's Christian roots reach back to the earliest centuries of the faith. According to tradition, Justus (Italian: Giusto), a citizen of Trieste, was martyred on November 2, 293 AD during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian. When brought before the Roman governor Mannacio and ordered to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Justus refused. He was sentenced to death by drowning—weights tied to his arms and legs, he was thrown into the Gulf of Trieste off the promontory of Sant'Andrea. That night, the priest Sebastian dreamed that the martyr's body had washed ashore, the ropes miraculously undone. Christians found Justus at Riva Grumula and buried him near the shore. By the fifth century, his relics had been transferred to the hill overlooking the city, where the first basilica rose in his honor. Through the medieval centuries, Trieste's hilltop sanctuary grew. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, two churches stood side by side: one dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the other to Saint Justus. In 1302, Bishop Rodolfo Pedrazzani da Robecco began the ambitious project of unifying them into a single great cathedral. By 1320, the merger was complete—demolishing one aisle from each building and constructing a new central nave created the wonderfully asymmetrical five-aisled basilica that pilgrims encounter today. The high altar was consecrated on November 27, 1385, and in 1899 Pope Leo XIII elevated San Giusto to the rank of minor basilica. The modern era brought Monte Grisa into Trieste's sacred landscape. When Bishop Antonio Santin made his vow in April 1945, few could have imagined the extraordinary temple that would result. In 1959, as part of the "pilgrimage of wonders," a statue of Our Lady of Fatima traveled through 92 Italian cities before arriving in Trieste on September 17. Two days later, on September 19, 1959, the foundation stone was laid on Monte Grisa. Designed by engineer Antonio Guacci from Bishop Santin's own sketches, the temple rose between 1963 and 1965—a geometric masterpiece of reinforced concrete where triangular modules evoke the letter "M" for Mary. Santin himself consecrated the shrine on May 22, 1966. The building stands 40 meters tall with a volume of 40,000 cubic meters, containing two superimposed churches: the luminous upper church, whose hexagonal glass walls evoke a beehive where Mary is the Queen Bee, and the contemplative lower church bathed in mysterious filtered light.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Trieste

Trieste's pilgrimage sites span from the ancient hilltop cathedral to the modern Marian shrine high on the Karst Plateau. The historic center clusters around San Giusto Hill, where Roman ruins, medieval churches, and the city's fortress create a concentrated sacred landscape. Eight kilometers north, Monte Grisa rises at 330 meters elevation, offering panoramic views across the Adriatic and into Slovenia—a twenty-minute bus ride transports pilgrims from the busy port city to this peaceful mountain sanctuary.

National Shrine of Mary Mother and Queen (Monte Grisa)

Italian Name: Santuario Nazionale a Maria Madre e Regina Slovenian Name: Marijino svetišče na Vejni Address: Località Contovello, 455, 34151 Trieste TS, Italy GPS Coordinates: 45.6495, 13.7768 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: www.montegrisa.org Dedication: Mary, Mother and Queen (Maria Mater et Regina) Historical Note: The National Shrine of Monte Grisa was born from Bishop Antonio Santin's wartime vow on April 30, 1945, when he promised to build a church to the Madonna if Trieste were spared from destruction. Pope John XXIII authorized the construction in 1959 as a symbol of peace and unity among all peoples. Engineer Antonio Guacci designed the striking Brutalist structure from Santin's sketches, using triangular concrete modules to evoke the letter "M" for Mary throughout the building. Construction took place between 1963 and 1965, with the first stone laid on September 19, 1959. Bishop Santin consecrated the temple on May 22, 1966. Spiritual Importance: The shrine houses a copy of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, personally delivered by the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima from Portugal following the 1959 "pilgrimage of wonders." On May 1, 1992, Pope John Paul II visited Monte Grisa, calling it "the Marian heart of the Diocese of Trieste" and entrusting to Mary "the joys and sorrows, anxieties and hopes of all humanity." The upper church, with its hexagonal honeycomb glass walls, symbolizes Mary as Queen Bee providing goodness to the faithful who do good works. The lower church, with its blade-like light filtering through concrete ribs, creates an atmosphere of contemplative silence. The sanctuary also commemorates the fallen and missing soldiers of 1945 and the tragedy of the Julian-Dalmatian Exodus. A Gregorian choir, the Coro Incanto Gregoriano, sings during religious ceremonies, enhancing the spiritual atmosphere with ancient chants.

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Cathedral of San Giusto

Italian Name: Cattedrale di San Giusto Martire Address: Piazza della Cattedrale 2, 34143 Trieste, Italy GPS Coordinates: 45.6464, 13.7724 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: www.diocesi.trieste.it Dedication: Saint Justus of Trieste, Martyr (San Giusto di Trieste) Historical Note: Trieste's cathedral occupies the site of a 5th-century Early Christian basilica, built where the Roman capitolium once stood—traces of mosaic flooring from this period survive opposite the presbytery. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, two churches rose here: one dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the other to Saint Justus. Bishop Rodolfo Pedrazzani da Robecco merged them between 1302 and 1320 by demolishing adjoining aisles and constructing a new central nave, creating the distinctive asymmetrical five-aisled basilica. The gabled façade features a large Gothic rose window in Karst limestone, a statue of Saint Justus, and a portal carved from an ancient Roman funeral stone. The campanile, built in the 14th century using stones from the nearby Roman amphitheater, was originally taller but was reduced to its present height after a lightning strike in 1422. Spiritual Importance: The cathedral houses the relics of Saint Justus, Trieste's patron and protector, rediscovered between 1623 and 1630 and authenticated by Bishop Rinaldo Scarlicchio. The apse mosaics are among Italy's finest medieval treasures: master craftsmen from Venice created the 12th-13th century depictions of Our Lady of the Assumption enthroned with Archangels Michael and Gabriel in the left apse, and Christ between Saints Justus and Servolus in the right apse. Frescoes depicting the saint's life date to the 13th century. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII elevated San Giusto to the dignity of minor basilica. The Cathedral Treasury Museum preserves reliquaries, manuscripts, and precious liturgical objects, including Saint Sergius's halberd (alabarda), now the symbol of Trieste. Adjacent medieval chapels dedicated to Saint John and Saint Michael complete the atmospheric churchyard.

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Church of Sant'Antonio Nuovo (Sant'Antonio Taumaturgo)

Italian Name: Chiesa di Sant'Antonio Taumaturgo Address: Piazza Sant'Antonio Nuovo, 34122 Trieste, Italy GPS Coordinates: 45.6503, 13.7670 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: Saint Anthony of Padua (Sant'Antonio da Padova) Historical Note: Standing magnificently at the head of the Grand Canal (Canal Grande), Sant'Antonio Nuovo is Trieste's largest church. It replaced a smaller 1771 baroque church that had become inadequate for the growing city. A competition in 1808 was won by Swiss architect Pietro Nobile, who designed the neoclassical structure with its six Ionic columns and twin bell towers. Construction began in 1825 and was consecrated on November 15, 1849—notably during a cholera epidemic. The church measures 92 by 28 meters. The façade features six bronze statues (1842) by Francesco Bosa representing the patron saints of Trieste: San Giusto, San Sergio, San Servolo, San Mauro, Sant'Eufemia, and Santa Tecla. Spiritual Importance: The interior impresses with its single nave, barrel vaults, and central dome. Six lateral altars display 19th-century paintings by masters including Michelangelo Grigoletti, Felice Schiavoni, and Sebastiano Santi, whose apse fresco depicts "Christ's Entry into Jerusalem" (1836). The church possesses two Mascioni organs installed in 1958—the main organ (opus 748) with 72 stops and a smaller instrument (opus 770) with 16 stops. Irish writer James Joyce, who lived in Trieste from 1904 to 1920, frequently attended Easter Mass here. The church's dramatic setting overlooking the boat-lined canal makes it one of Italy's most photographed sacred buildings.

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Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Jesuit Church)

Italian Name: Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore Address: Via del Teatro Romano, 34121 Trieste, Italy GPS Coordinates: 45.6481, 13.7711 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: The Immaculate Conception / Madonna della Salute Historical Note: The Jesuits arrived in Trieste in 1619 and soon began constructing their baroque church. Bishop Rinaldo Scarlicchio laid the first stone on October 10, 1627, though the church was only consecrated on October 11, 1682—with the roof still partly uncovered. A fire destroyed the original wooden dome in November 1682, which was rebuilt in 1817. The interior is attributed to Giacomo Briani, a Jesuit from Modena, while the elegant façade (c. 1701) was designed by Andrea Pozzo, the renowned Trentino Jesuit artist. The Latin cross plan with three naves creates a grand baroque interior. Spiritual Importance: Santa Maria Maggiore houses the miraculous Madonna dei Fiori, a 16th-century marble bust of the Virgin that has been venerated since the 1849 cholera epidemic. On November 21, 2011, Archbishop Giampaolo Crepaldi designated the church a diocesan sanctuary in honor of the Madonna della Salute (Our Lady of Health). Each November 21, Triestini gather to renew their devotion to Mary, processing with the statue of the Madonna through the church. The main altar is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and features statues of Jesuit saints: Ignatius Loyola, Luigi Gonzaga, Francesco Borgia, and Francis Xavier. Adjacent to the church, the historic Jesuit Undergrounds and College await exploration.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

November 3 – Feast of Saint Justus (Festa di San Giusto) Cathedral of San Giusto. Although Saint Justus was martyred on November 2, 293 AD, Trieste celebrates its patron saint on November 3 since November 2 is reserved for All Souls' Day. This regional public holiday sees solemn Mass at the cathedral at 10:00 AM, with civic authorities and faithful gathering to honor the young Christian who chose drowning over apostasy. The celebrations unite religious devotion with Triestine civic pride. November 21 – Madonna della Salute Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. This annual devotion dates to the 1849 cholera epidemic when Triestini turned to Mary for protection. Pilgrims gather at the Jesuit church to pray before the miraculous Madonna dei Fiori, renewing their dedication to Our Lady of Health. The celebration recalls Venice's famous feast of the same name, reflecting Trieste's deep Venetian-Byzantine spiritual heritage.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Best Western Hotel San Giusto ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Via Cristoforo Belli 1, 34135 Trieste, Italy 🌐 Website: www.hotelsangiusto.it 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Located 700 meters from San Giusto Castle and Cathedral, this comfortable hotel is the only accommodation in Trieste with a private garage directly connected to the lobby. Bike rentals available for exploring the city. Savoia Excelsior Palace ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Riva del Mandracchio 4, 34124 Trieste, Italy 🌐 Website: www.starhotels.com 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Historic luxury hotel overlooking the Bay of Trieste in the city center, offering elegant rooms with sea views and classic Mitteleuropean atmosphere just steps from Piazza Unità d'Italia. Hotel Continentale ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Via San Nicolò 25, 34121 Trieste, Italy 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Central four-star hotel within a 10-minute walk of Piazza Unità d'Italia and 500 meters from the Cathedral of San Giusto. Traditional Italian hospitality in the heart of the old town. Boutique Hotel Albero Nascosto 📍 Address: Via Felice Venezian 18, 34124 Trieste, Italy 🌐 Website: www.alberonascosto.it 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Family-run gem in a renovated historic building filled with art and antiques, less than 5 minutes' walk from the seafront. Exceptional Italian breakfast with fresh pastries. The Modernist Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Via dei Cavazzeni 8, 34132 Trieste, Italy 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Stylish contemporary hotel 650 meters from San Giusto Castle, with bar, private parking, and a 10-minute walk to Piazza Unità d'Italia.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: Trieste Airport (Ronchi dei Legionari/TRS) lies 33 kilometers from the city center. Direct trains connect the airport to Trieste Centrale station hourly, with a journey time of approximately 35 minutes. Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), 98 kilometers away, offers additional international connections; trains to Trieste take 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, while FlixBus services operate in approximately 2 hours. By Train: Trieste Centrale, located at Piazza della Libertà in the northern part of the city, is the main railway station. Direct Regionale trains from Venice Santa Lucia take approximately 2 hours, with over 18 departures daily. Frecciabianca high-speed trains from Venice Mestre reduce the journey to about 1 hour 45 minutes. The station offers full amenities including a chapel. By Bus: FlixBus operates services from Venice to Trieste every 4 hours, with journey times of approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Local bus 42 from Piazza Oberdan climbs to Monte Grisa in about 20 minutes, carrying pilgrims through the winding roads of the Karst to the sanctuary. By Car: From Venice, follow the A4/E70 motorway east for approximately 148 kilometers (1 hour 30 minutes). Monte Grisa has a large parking area for buses and coaches approximately 200 meters from the shrine, plus visitor parking. For the Cathedral of San Giusto, the Park San Giusto garage offers convenient access—an elevator from level 0 deposits visitors directly in front of the cathedral, avoiding the steep climb.

📚 Further Reading

Books:

  • Antonio Santin, Al tramonto: ricordi autobiografici di un vescovo (Trieste, 1978) – The bishop's own memoirs, written in retirement, recounting his vow and the building of Monte Grisa.
  • Guido Botteri, Antonio Santin (Del Bianco Editore, Pordenone, 1992) – Comprehensive biography of the bishop who shaped Trieste's modern Catholic identity.
  • Jan Morris, Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere (Amazon) – Evocative portrait of Trieste's unique cultural and spiritual atmosphere.

Articles & Online Resources:

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🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Trieste's location at Italy's northeastern corner places it within reach of remarkable pilgrimage sites across three countries. Aquileia, 40 kilometers west, preserves one of the finest Early Christian basilica floors in Christendom—4th-century mosaics covering 760 square meters. The Slovenian capital Ljubljana lies just 95 kilometers northeast, with its Baroque cathedral and the Marian shrine at Brezje. Padua, home to the great Basilica of Saint Anthony, is accessible by train in under 2 hours.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"Non vi nascondo il gaudio che provo, ogni volta che mi è possibile soffermarmi in preghiera nei santuari mariani sparsi nel mondo. Ognuno di essi è la 'casa di Maria', dove i pellegrini trovano una Madre che accoglie, consola, sostiene, orienta a Dio e al prossimo, aiuta a ricuperare il vero senso della vita."

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"I do not hide the joy I feel every time I am able to pause in prayer at Marian sanctuaries scattered throughout the world. Each of them is the 'house of Mary', where pilgrims find a Mother who welcomes, consoles, sustains, guides them toward God and neighbor, and helps them recover the true meaning of life."

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— Pope John Paul II, National Shrine of Mary Mother and Queen, Monte Grisa, May 1, 1992 (source)