The Sanctuary of Merciful Love

The Sanctuary of Merciful Love - Collevalenza, Italy

Located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) North of Rome.

The pilgrim reaches Collevalenza, a small village in the district of Todi, in the Province of Perugia, situated at about 350 meters above sea level on a hill that gently slopes down into a valley.

It was here that on the 18^th August 1951, by a special disposition of Divine Providence, Blessed Mother Esperanza, with some of her sisters and the first Sons of Merciful Love, came to settle.

It was God's design that Collevalenza, that attrected people with its “roccolo” (nets to catch birds) and its festivals, were then to become the “roccolo” of God’s nets of Divine Mercy which is seeking, calling and attracting to Him all souls, sinners and the needy, who are His sons and daughters.

It was just there, in that woodland, the site of bird-traps, that Blessed Mother Esperanza laid Her eyes and started the construction of the Sanctuary and the other works.

It was to become a center of spirituality from where the call of Merciful Love radiated in all directions, to make God known not as an offended Judge always ready to condemn men and to inflict upon them His punishment, but as a loving Father,always ready to welcome the prodigal son, as faithful friend, ready to succor us, to help us, to excuse us and to sacrifice Himself for us!