The island of San Domenico, small and evocative in the north-eastern lagoon of Chioggia, has hosted a convent and the church of the Dominicans since the 13th century, established in 1287 on land that previously belonged to the Benedictines and completed in 1291 in Romanesque style, later rebuilt between 1745 and 1762 based on the design of Pietro Pelli.
In the main altar, there is an impressive wooden Crucifix — approximately 4.87 m high, 3.50 m wide, and weighing about 180 kg — dated to the mid-14th century and crafted from a single block of willow wood with a fir cross; it is surrounded by legends recounting its recovery from a shipwreck, an event interpreted as miraculous by the Dominican friars and local fishermen.
Every year, devotion remains alive: numerous ex-votos, the “tolèle,” tell of graces received at sea or on land, a testament to the bond between popular spirituality and the religiosity of the brethren.
The friars or diocesan clergy who currently manage the sanctuary preserve that spirit of welcome and prayer that characterizes the local religious community and its ministry directed towards fishermen: for them, the wooden Christ is a symbol of salvation and a safe harbor in the dangers of lagoon life.
The atmosphere on the island is suspended, made of silence, reflection, and living faith.
