For this reason, it is not unusual to meet friends of other Christian denominations, as well as Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Thanks also to their presence, the little city can be defined a city of dialogue, a city of fraternity.

Maria Theotokos Shrine

Una cattedrale di uomini

«Let us build, not with stones, but with people, a shrine to Mary; let us all strive to become a little Mary, so that those who come here can breathe her atmosphere, like pilgrims who go looking for her and find her not in the stones or walls, but in the people.».

Chiara Lubich – Loppiano, 1986

Going to God together means also having places where it is possible to pray together. Named after the Mother of God, the Maria Theotokos Shrine is where the Most Holy Mass is celebrated daily, a time of encounter and family for everyone. Thus, it is a sacred building, set as a “‘seal’, the highlight of the little city, indeed a symbol of how much one strives to live in it,” as Chiara herself stated on May 15, 2003, on the occasion of the laying of the first stone. The church, inaugurated and consecrated on October 29, 2004, was built thanks to donations from the faithful and from the contribution of the Italian Episcopal Conference. On November 1, 2004, Bishop Luciano Giovannetti, then Bishop of Fiesole, proclaimed the church to be a “Marian Shrine” and, since that time, it has been a point of reference and meeting place for the entire Diocese of Fiesole.

A Place for Interreligious Prayer

A home for all

Also those who profess a different religious belief find a place to pray in Loppiano. From time to time, depending on those present, places of prayer are set aside in Loppiano, adapted to the needs of the different religious faiths.

San Vito Parish

The Parish of Loppiano

San Vito in Loppiano is the parish church of the little city, one of the oldest parish churches in the diocese of Fiesole. It was built at the beginning of the 11th century, near the Cassia Adrianea, the ancient Roman road whose route ran along the heights, above the still marshy plain, linking the Valdarno with Florence. Its position ensured its prosperity. In the 13th century, San Vito had 12 suffragan churches and housed the chapter of the canons. Its decline began in 1786 when it was replaced by the new parish of Sant’Alessandro with the development of the village of Incisa along the Arno River.
Inside the church one finds the “Madonna della Cintola,” a painting by Francesco d’Antonio (1427), and a small 17th century canvas by Orazio Fidani depicting “San Michele che pesa le anime.” (St. Michael Weighing Souls.)
When the first focolarini arrived in Loppiano in 1965, the parish priest of San Vito was Don Angelo Dragoni. Giorgio Marchetti tells us: “He was a little mistrustful at the time, because the parishioners were no longer attending the services. We began to go to his church and to animate the Masses. Within a few months, the parish filled up more than ever; people even came from Incisa. “Mamma mia,” Don Angelo told us one day, “I prayed to God to send a little rain, but He sent me a flood!”