Bologna is a city made of voices, of stories whispered under the arcades and beliefs that nest in the alleys and squares. Some make smiling, others restless, and among these, one in particular resists generations: according to tradition, no couple of boyfriends should rise together with the sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. Doing it would mean condemning the relationship to a certain, rapid and – often painful end.
It seems one of those rumors born for fun, yet legend has deep roots in the heart of Bolognese popular culture. The grandmothers told the grandchildren, the friends repeated it with an accomplice tone, and even the off -site students, who have just arrived in the city, end up getting aware of it. In some cases, with a strange awe.
The longest porch in the world
To fully understand the symbolic force of this legend, we must start from the path that leads to the sanctuary. The portico of San Luca is not a simple journey: it is a test, an experience, a personal challenge. With 666 arches – yes, that number – and 3.8 kilometers in length, accompanies the pilgrim, the tourist or the curious along a climb that slowly climbs the hill.
The number 666, often linked to the demonic imagination, has given rise to different allegorical interpretations: some see the figure of the snake in the portico, a symbol of evil, which is metaphorically defeated by the rise towards the Madonna placed at the top. A physical and spiritual path at the same time, which separates the earthly city from the sacredness of the hill.
The risk of love uphill
In this scenario full of symbols and suggestions, the superstition that makes you discuss so much is inserted. According to legend, couples who are not yet married but decide to face the climb to San Luca together, they are destined to leave each other. There are those who joke about it and those who, while declaring themselves skeptical, carefully avoids the test.
But why exactly the boyfriend couples? Perhaps because, after all, the climb represents a demanding path, and to face it together – without an official link – is equivalent to measuring the solidity of its relationship. Walking side by side, with the fatigue that urges and the sweat that descends can reveal more than a thousand words. And the legend, with a pinch of irony, translates it into an inauspicious fate.
A tradition still alive
The rationality of our time and the apparent indifference towards superstitions do not find space in this story, since many couples carefully avoid climbing together with San Luca. Some prefer to postpone until the wedding day, others are divided at the entrance of the portico, meeting only at the top. There are also those who try to “deceive the fate”, climbing with friends in groups, to symbolically break the couple.
On the other hand, there are still those who openly challenge the legend. Socials are full of photos of smiling boyfriends at the foot of the sanctuary. Some consider it only a folklore gimmick, others choose to “exorcise” fear with irony. But even among the most skeptical, that light doubt, that indefinite feeling that pushes to ask yourself: if it were true?
Beyond legend: a place of the soul
The sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, beyond superstition, is a place of enormous value for Bologna. It houses a Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child, considered miraculous, who in 1433 was taken to procession to implore the end of a long period of rains. Since then, every year, the same procession has been repeated, from the sanctuary to the cathedral of San Pietro, in the heart of the city.
The panorama that opens from the top of the hill is one of the most suggestive in Bologna. The hills chase each other on the horizon, the city spreads at the foot of the visitor, and on clear days we even glimpse the profile of the Apennines. It is a place that invites to recollection and reflection, and perhaps also for this reason love, here, is measured in silence.
Between faith, irony and respect
The legend of San Luca is part of that fascinating intertwining between religiosity, superstition and collective imagination that characterizes many Italian traditions. Whether it’s faith, respect for customs or simply of fear of “pulling it”, the fact remains that many continue to take it seriously.
And if you are in Bologna with your partner and you are thinking of climbing together with San Luca … well, maybe it’s worth stopping for a moment, looking in the eyes, ask how strong the bond is and then decide: challenge the legend or respect it?
In any case, the porch will always be there, waiting.
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