STELLA MARIS, PORTO CERVO

A masterpiece within a masterpiece. The Stella Maris church is a jewel of faith and architecture that dominates the spectacle of the yachts and elegant residences of Porto Cervo from above. Soft lines, white walls, rough tiles, granite columns: the church of the Costa Smeralda, in addition to being a place of prayer, is also a monument of great value from an artistic and architectural point of view. This is why there are always numerous people who, every day, reach Stella Maris for an ecstatic visit and to immortalize what has been one of the undisputed symbols of the destination for over fifty years.

History

A church, commissioned by Prince Karim Aga Khan, the founder of the Costa Smeralda, which was built in the 1960s by the great architect Michele Busiri Vici, one of the fathers of the unmistakable emerald style. “I can rightly say that it was an exclusive work of my father, a person of great faith, who created it by committing himself in an extraordinary way and with an enthusiasm that made him happy – said Giancarlo Busiri Vici, son of Michele, also a renowned architect, in an interview with the Cs Journal -. He believed that in a territory of that size and with that type of international and national tourism, a place of worship could not be missing. But the idea of ​​building a Catholic church clashed with a not insignificant detail, namely the fact that Prince Karim Aga Khan, in addition to being the financier of the project, was also the religious head of an Ismaili community with over twenty millions faithful. For this reason, my father did not at all give the prince’s green light for granted ». Instead the Aga Khan, a man with a cosmopolitan vision and great sensitivity, not only gave the green light to the construction but also gave the land on which to build the church.

The inauguration

The rite of laying the first stone dates back to 1965, while the church was inaugurated in 1968, in the presence of the then bishop of Tempio-Ampurias Giovanni Melis. «In addition to my father and Monsignor Melis, one of the animators of the project was the historic parish priest of Porto Cervo Don Raimondo Fresi – said Giancarlo Busiri Vici -. The help of the consortium faithful who contributed generously to donations was also important. Externally, the portico had to continue in a curvilinear way to symbolically embrace the faithful. The available economic resources did not allow to complete the work, but the result was still admirable. Of great beauty are the pillars of the portico made of granite blocks ».

The Stella Maris church, where it is located

Stella Maris is located on a hill overlooking the Marina of Porto Cervo. Inside you can admire the works of the artist Luciano Minguzzi, one of the most prestigious sculptors on the Italian art scene and who, in the decades following the construction of the structure, also created the beautiful bronze entrance portals. In addition, you can admire the painting of the Mater dolorosa by one of the most important painters of the late Renaissance, El Greco, donated by the Belgian ambassador, while the exterior is embellished with a conical bell tower and two sculptures by Pinuccio Sciola.

Contrary to what one might think, the Stella Maris church is open all year round. “The doors are always open, mass is held here 365 days a year. Everyone is part of our community: locals and people who come here on vacation. I don’t even like to call them tourists, because for me they are parishioners who come here and live with us – instead, Fr Raimondo Satta, the parish priest of Stella Maris, explained to the Cs Journal. Here the community has always existed, even before the birth of the Costa Smeralda foundation. We have a large youth center, with a school camp that has 120 children. Stella Maris is not a place for tourists, but a place for people ». Stella Maris celebrates her feast on August 28, the same day as the church’s consecration. The most evocative moment of the festival is the traditional procession to the sea every year, with the statue of Mary followed by boats.