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The Oratory of the Madonna dello Schiavo in Carloforte

Giorgio Dagna, Oratory of the Madonna dello Schiavo in Carloforte. Tourism Consortium of Carloforte
Giorgio Dagna, Oratory of the Madonna dello Schiavo in Carloforte. Tourism Consortium of Carloforte

Between 2 and 3 September 1798, a Tunisian incursion on the Sardinian island of San Pietro ended with the capture and deportation of 900 Tabarkans (the inhabitants of Carloforte, who called themselves thus in memory of their provenance from the Island of Tabarka), who remained prisoners in Tunisia until 1803. During their long years of imprisonment, they clustered around the young priest Nicolò Segni, who urged them to keep their faith in the Madonna alive during their exile, and especially their devotion toward a wooden image found by the Carloforte citizen Nicola Moretto on a beach near Tunis – probably the figurehead of a ship – held to be a portrait of the Mother of God. On returning to his homeland, the priest had an oratory built to house the portrait and thereby demonstrate his recognition of celestial kindness. This is the Oratorio dello Schiavo (Oratory of the Slave), commonly known as “Gexetta d’u Prevìn”, “the little church of the little priest”.
Inside the church, on the counter façade, one finds the remains of an anonymous slave transferred there from Tunis in 1988. A plaque mounted that same year remembers the 117 Tabarkans who died during their years of enslavement. On the left wall there is a framed copy of the pastoral letter sent by the archbishop of Cagliari, Diego Cadello, on the return of the first group of Carloforte citizens on 4 June 1803.
The liberation of the slaves, which happened thanks to the payment of a conspicuous ransom by Charles Emmanuel IV of Savoy, was also urged by Napoleon, who had the French consul Devoize, stationed in Tunis, intervene with the Bey.

The Oratory of the Madonna dello Schiavo
Via XX Settembre
Carloforte (Carbonia–Iglesias)

The church is open every morning
Entrance is free of charge

For information or to arrange a visit outside of opening hours, please call:
+39 0781 855735
conturca@tiscali.it