Saint Sebastian Today: Restoring the Sacred and Preserving Memory

In the heart of Europe, from Lombardy to Occitania, churches dedicated to Saint Sebastian are being quietly brought back to life. Once built as acts of faith during plagues or as symbols of protection for villages and towns, these chapels and sanctuaries now face a different kind of threat—time, erosion, and indifference. Yet in 2024, across France and Italy, dozens of these sacred sites are undergoing meticulous restoration, thanks to a growing network of artisans, historians, municipalities, and citizens who refuse to let their heritage disappear.