On the first Sunday of May, a parade of faithful followers leaves the town of Biella at six A.M. to walk the eleven or so miles of dangerous and steep curves to reach the breathtaking Sanctuary of Oropa. This event is called the Opening of the Gates. This beautiful spot has such appeal that it draws over 800,000 pilgrims every year. These people must travel 3,460 feet up a mountain in order to pay homage to the Black Madonna. The structure, considered to be architecturally superior in many ways, is a 54-inch wooden statue and was handmade by the apostle Saint Luke. It is believed that it was brought to this particular spot in the mountains by Saint Eusebius of Sardinia in the 4th century who, recognizing its beauty and potential, recovered it from the ruins of Jerusalem. Around the statue the saint built a church with his own hands. There is a holiness to Oropa, which is what draws so many people to its soulful beauty and serenity. Many a traveler to Italy has made the trip to the sanctuary and been very pleased that he/she did for its beauty and its ability to calm and center the mind is like nowhere else on Earth.