Cattedrale di Santa Croce

The Cattedrale di Santa Croce is the cathedral of Forlì, seat of the Diocese of Forlì-Bertinoro and of the town’s bishop; construction dates back to the 10th century, although over time it has suffered considerable damage and undergone subsequent restoration. The interior of the cathedral is impressive: decorated floors, majestic chandeliers, stuccoes and paintings; the building’s symbol is the left-hand chapel, home to the woodcut icon of the diocese’s patron saint, to whom the town’s most important feast, the Festa della Madonna del Fuoco, is dedicated.

Good to know

• The Cattedrale di Santa Croce was consecrated in 1475, following a miracle that took place on 4 February 1428. A school near the church caught fire: everything was destroyed except for a fragment of wall bearing an image of the Madonna, from then on known as the “Madonna del fuoco”.
• Bombing in 1944 destroyed part of the presbytery and badly damaged the bell tower.
• The cathedral’s crucifix, dating from the 12th century, is a rare surviving example of a cross with a jewelled frame. The figure of Christ appears relaxed, without wounds, the face regal and calm, with the beard and hair neatly arranged, and the eyes open.

photo credits - Sailko