In 1460 the Friars of the Carmelite Order of  the Congregation of Mantua were called to serve God at the Sanctuary located here at San Felice del Benaco.  On August 2^nd, 1770, a drastic decree of suppression of the convent, used as such, was put out by the Serene Republic of the Venice, thus cancelling the material and spiritual efforts of the friars, realised over the more than 300 years in which they were present.  Their absence lasted for almost two centuries  before 1952,  when they finally returned to the site to restore the original splendour to the Sanctuary, which had lost its gleam, having been denuded of its wealth  over that long period.  Since 1994 the Sanctuary has become the Marian Centre of The Carmelite Apostolate, whose finality is to diffuse the Carmelite Spirituality throughout northern Italy.

Not far from the towns of Desenzano and Salò,  the ancient Sanctuary of Our Lady of  Mt. Carmel rises in an area called “ Valtenesi”,  on the western side of the locality of  San Felice del Benaco, in the Province of Brescia.   It lies in the midst of  devoted silence. A wide tree-lined  space opens the way to the portal of the 15^th century Church, with its single nave enwrapped in mysticism and preserving within its structure some  precious frescoes of that epoch.  The Sanctuary’s construction was begun in 1460 on the site of a pre-existent, 8 year old chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Grace.  It was solemnly consecrated on  17^th January, 1482, by the Carmelite Bishop Giorgio Vink, of Trento. It was not the fruit of an apparition , but of the devotion of the faithful in  the Mother of Our Redeemer: Mary, the Way to all Graces.

Tradition has it that  its construction was due  to the local fishermen,  who wished to express their thanks to the Virgin for having saved them from the sudden and violent storms that come up on the lake.  One fact is certain:  those times were full of calamities and the plague had reaped numerous victims.  The population came to the area imploring  Celestial Help and giving thanks for Graces received from Our Holy Mother.  Proof of these favours are the ex-voto frescoes, ordered  by the faithful as a sign of their gratitude.