Sanctuary of San Gerardo Maiella

The Sanctuary of San Gerardo Maiella, co-located with the Basilica of Santa Maria Mater Domini, (Italian: Basilica Santuario di San Gerardo Maiella) is a Roman Catholic church and monastery complex in Materdomini, a frazione of Caposele in the Province of Avellino and the Campania region of Italy.

The newer sanctuary is a shrine to Saint Gerard Majella, while the older church is dedicated in the name of Santa Maria Mater Domini and holds the ecclesiastical rank of minor basilica.

[2] In the 18th century, Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori climbed to the top of the hill where the church was located to pray to the Virgin Mary and was said to be so moved by its situation[4] that he established a Redemptorist monastery in 1746 in order to care for the sanctuary.

[5] Following the beatification and canonization of Gerard Majella in 1893 and 1904, respectively, the number of pilgrims visiting his grave at the sanctuary increased dramatically, so much so that the Redemptorists considered expanding the small church dedicated to Santa Maria Mater Domini.

[6] On October 16, 1913, an expansion project was undertaken and completed with the consecration of the church on August 31, 1929, by the Archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Alessio Ascalesi.

[2] A statue of the Madonna in the basilica was crowned in 1931 by Giulio Tommasi, the Archbishop of Conza and the Bishop of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, with a golden diadem that was given by the Vatican.