A green hill covered with elder trees, rising above the Sele Valley, where shepherds have grazed their sheep since time immemorial.

It is said that in the Middle Ages, the Madonna appeared on an elder tree there and twice asked two shepherds to build a small chapel in her name. This was the origin of the small place of worship that arose not far from the centre of Caposele, news of which soon spread throughout Alta Irpinia. The chapel soon became a pilgrimage destination for the faithful from the surrounding area, growing in fame over the centuries.
The influx of visitors was so intense that an expansion of the original building became necessary. Given the importance of this Marian shrine, in 1505 Pope Julius II granted indulgences to pilgrims who visited it. Meanwhile, under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Conza, the church, which was dedicated to Santa Maria Mater Domini since 1527, had been progressively expanded and embellished, so much so that it stood out unmistakably on the hill, which had itself taken the name of Materdomini.
After more than two centuries, during which the sanctuary had continued to welcome pilgrims from a wide variety of backgrounds, in 1748 the founder of the Congregation of Santissimo Redentore, Alfonso Maria de' Liguori, arrived in Caposele with the intention of establishing a mission there. It was the Archbishop of Conza who directed him to Materdomini, to realize his goal and build a house for missionaries, which was built right next to the sanctuary.
In June 1754, Gerardo Maiella, already weakened and suffering from tuberculosis, arrived at that house. In the humble role of doorman and defying the limitations imposed on him by his illness, he devoted all his energy to supporting the local poor during a period of severe famine, bringing them both religious and material relief. For this, he earned the titles "Father of the Poor" and "Apostle of the Sele Valley". In just over a year spent in Materdomini, Gerardo performed several miracles and became a point of reference for the people, who loved him dearly. He passed away within the walls of the convent, already in the smell of sanctity, at the age of just twenty-nine on October 16, 1755, and his mortal remains have been enshrined in the sanctuary ever since. One of the numerous miracles attributed to him, performed a few years after his death, was saving the life of a woman from Oliveto Citra during childbirth, using a handkerchief Gerardo had entrusted to her when she was still a child. For this and for the works he accomplished during his lifetime, Gerardo, who was beatified in 1893 and canonized in 1904, is the patron saint of pregnant women, mothers, and children.
Since its canonization, the sanctuary of Caposele has also been dedicated to Saint Gerard and in 1930 was recognized as a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI. This has made it even more popular, so much so that it has become one of the main places of worship in Irpinia and throughout Southern Italy, a destination for millions of pilgrims from all over the world. To better accommodate them, the new Church of the Redeemer was built in 1974, with its distinctive tent-like shape that soars 46 meters into the air. The old church, remodeled several times over the centuries, both for subsequent expansions and to repair damage caused by previous earthquakes, was destroyed in the 1980 earthquake. Rebuilt on its original site and according to the pre-existing plan, in neoclassical style albeit with modern elements, it was reopened in 2000.
The two sacred buildings are part of a much larger religious complex, which includes various spaces dedicated to welcoming pilgrims and hosting religious activities. The Gerardino Museum houses a large number of relics and votive offerings of Saint Gerard, as well as paintings, statues, autographed letters, and depictions of the saint. It is composed of two rooms: the first displays paintings illustrating the saint's life, while the second primarily houses votive offerings from the faithful. Also attached is a faithful reconstruction of the small cell where the saint stayed, with its sparse furnishings, as the original destroyed by the recent earthquake. The Hall of Bows is also visually and emotionally impactful, with thousands of pink and blue bows hanging from the ceiling and the equally numerous photographs of children and newborns on the walls, gifts from those who believed they had received a grace from the saint.