Our Lady of the Vow

Created in 1641, the statue is the work of the sculptor Clemente Molli, commissioned by Archpriest Cristoforo Masini; erected on the column beside the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, along the Via Emilia, it is one of the symbols of the town of Castelfranco and represents one of the most cherished symbols of popular devotion for the people of Castelfranco.

The name ‘Madonna del Voto’ derives from the fact that the monument was erected as a token of gratitude to the Virgin Mary, who had saved Castelfranco from the terrible plague of 1630.

In 1798, following the arrival of Napoleon’s army, the statue was temporarily removed from this site; in 1817, when the city was struck by a new epidemic, the vicar-archpriest Luigi Sanmaria decided to return it to this site in response to requests from the townspeople.

According to popular tradition, the Virgin Mary is said to have subsequently saved Castelfranco from the cholera epidemic of 1855 as well.