A place of worship and of popular piety very close to Switzerland, Re, in Valle Vigezzo, is one of the undisputed symbols of the religious atmosphere that pervades the whole of the Val d’Ossola, with its Sacri Monti and small centres of worship. Here, it is the majesty of a sanctuary that each year attracts thousands of tourists and worshippers: dedicated to the Madonna del Sangue, the Sanctuary of Re was built to commemorate a miracle that took place in 1494.
The little village of Re, which seems to form a crown around the large sanctuary, originated when the hamlets of Folsogno, Dissimo and Olgia were joined together. The name of the village is thought be linked to the word Rì, from rivus, in reference to the small torrent that still flows nearby and runs into the larger River Melezzo. Some ancient documents, on the contrary, link the name to rex or regium, perhaps with the intent of ennobling this tiny village in the Valle Vigezzo.
A stroll through the narrow streets of Re will convey the unique sensations of a place far from the streams of mass tourism, but its religious symbols will tell the story of a far-off miraculous past.
