About the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Cattedrale di Santa Croce) in Forli, Italy:
On February 4, 1428, a massive fire engulfed a school in Forlì, Italy, but the woodcut image of Our Lady of Fire miraculously survived, floating unscathed above the flames. This sacred image, one of the earliest Italian prints, remains a testament to divine protection. The image was subsequently venerated and moved here to the city’s Cathedral. The image is a hand-colored woodcut almost twenty inches high and sixteen inches wide. The Virgin Mary is shown with the Child, while the sun and moon stand on either side. It also depicts annunciation and crucifixion scenes, as well as various saints.
Here is a page from the chronicle of Giovanni di Mastro Pedrino relating to the miraculous event (15th century) In memory of the fire, one or more small lights are displayed from the windows of the houses of Forlì during the night on 4 and 5 February. The streets between the main squares are lined with stands selling sweets, clothing, and games.
The Piadina della Madonna is an oval-shaped sweet bread with anise seeds.
Traveling the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Cattedrale di Santa Croce) in Forli, Italy:
Forlì is well-connected via Forlì Railway Station, near the city center. Trains from Bologna take under an hour, FlixBus provides affordable routes from cities like Milan or Rimini, The bus station is centrally located at Via Alessandro Volta.
If you are traveling by air, Forlì’s Luigi Ridolfi Airport serves limited flights (mainly to Sicily, Poland, and Albania). Nearby Bologna’s Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) is a better option, about an hour away by train or car.
If you are traveling by car, is not far from the Adriatic coast (Rimini, Cesenatico), it’s a 50-minute drive.
Address: Piazza Ordelaffi, 1, 47121 Forlì FC, Italy
Phone: +39 0543 34834