Amalfi Coast community commemorates 1910 landslide

The community commemorates the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Grace, a tradition rooted in the dramatic events of October 24, 1910. During that time, a massive landslide from the Cecere area struck a local church during a religious service, splitting the building in two. Although the event caused significant destruction and fatalities across the Amalfi Coast—including in Minori, Amalfi, Cetara, and Maiori—all congregants inside the church survived.

This survival is viewed by the local parish as a sign of divine protection. The tradition of celebration dates back to at least 1912, evolving to include a civil character. Historically, the commemoration involved mayors from the affected coastal municipalities, including a symbolic gesture by the mayor of Maiori, who provided oil for the votive lamp before the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie.