Sanctuary of St. Gabriel - Isola del Gran Sasso (Province of Teramo)

Located at the foot of the Gran Sasso, the sanctuary receives million visitors a year, thus it is one of the most visited sanctuaries in the world.

St. Gabriel was born on March 1,1838 (family name Francesco Possenti), he is famous as "the saint of the youth". He was an handsome and popular boy , deeply involved with the social scene of his town. At the age of 18 he left for the monastery life in Morrovalle, novitiate of the Passionists. Before he could be ordained a priest, Gabriel died in the retreat at Isola del Gran Sasso in 1862, at the age of 24. In 1920 he was declared  patron saint of Catholic youth, of students, and of those studying for the priesthood. In 1959, Pope John XXIII named him the patron of the Abruzzo region.

Nearby the convent are the cells of St. Gabriel, where he spent the last two years of his life, a museum, data and relics related to the life of the saint. Since 1970 a new church, is opened to accommodate a large number of pilgrims, over 10.000 devotees.