Legend of Andrea Anfosso
The legend of Andrea Anfosso, known as Gagliardo, tells the story of a Ligurian sailor who was taken prisoner by the Barbary pirates.
Anfossi, several years after being taken prisoner, was able to take advantage of an expedition to the island of Lampedusa necessary to stock up on water and timber, to escape. He took refuge in a bush, probably in what is now the Vallone del Santuario where, during his wanderings, he came across a cave inside which a canvas depicting the Madonna was kept. Using a tree trunk hewn as a rudimentary boat and the canvas of the painting as a sail, he escaped from the island. Legend has it that with this boat he managed to return to Liguria, more precisely to Castellaro Ligure, where he had a sanctuary built, still a pilgrimage destination today.
