Santuario del Beato Bonilli

The Sanctuary of the Blessed Pietro Bonilli is the parish church of San Michele Arcangelo in Cannaiola, a village in the plain below Trevi. It preserves the memory of Bonilli, who served the parish for thirty-five years and founded the Sisters of the Holy Family.

Why it matters

Pietro Bonilli was born in 1841 and ordained in 1863. As parish priest of Cannaiola, he devoted himself to the poor and sick and established the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1888. His remains have rested in the church since 1988.

What to notice

The church remains a parish building as well as a place of remembrance for Bonilli. His motto, “Essere famiglia, dare famiglia, costruire famiglia” — “To be family, to give family, to build family” — expresses the values that shaped his congregation and its work.

Context and history

Bonilli died in Spoleto in 1935 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 24 April 1988. The congregation he founded continues to work in Italy and abroad. The church's dual identity as parish and sanctuary reflects the continuing importance of Bonilli's life and ministry in Cannaiola.