Parish of the Nativity of Holy Mary
Via Valleregia 35 - 16010 Serra Riccò (GE)
Tel. (010)750609

Valleregia is a small village (500 inhabitants) in Serra Riccò, Genoa.

It is very easy to reach: something more than 10 kms divides the motorway gate of Bolzaneto from the square where the church stands. You have to follow the blue sign "Serra Riccò" then, along the stream Secca for the greatest part of the way, you pass through little towns such as Castagna, Mainetto and Pedemonte (seat of the Town Hall). Just a little before the bus depot you have to turn left to Serra and Valleregia and, after some hundreds of metres, you must turn right: you can’t miss it now, you’ll reach the square of the church very easily. Coming from north you can reach Valleregia leaving the motorway at the gate of Busalla and then, on the left, following the sign to Chiavari. When you arrive at Casella (where the homonymous little train for Genoa leaves), go up to Crocetta d’Orero and the choose the way to Pedemonte-Genoa (be careful! The street on the left goes to Genoa via Sant’Olcese).

Like other villages of the hinterland, Valleregia isn’t a big concentration of buildings: houses in fact are scattered on the hill which goes up to Costa d’Orero (another hamlet of the same zone). On the top of this hill there’s a big square, also visible from Castagna, which is just in front of the parish church. In ancient documents different nouns are used to state this area: Veradi, Varata, Vairate, Voiré, Vojé (read /vuié/) in genoese.

This small village has always been an agricultural place even though it was situated along the "Street of the Salt". This is an important detail because in the very ancient church of St. Martin a slab of marble recalls the passage of St. Augustine with his mother Monica and, several years later, the passage of king Liutprando with St. Augustine’s bones which, from Tagaste, were taken to Pavia.

The first document we have dates back to December 12th, 1191 and we can read about two parish churches: St. Martin’s at Magnerri and St. Mary’s at Voiré. They were both founded by St. Claro, escaped from Gallia with St. Olcese after the Vandal persecution at the beginning of the V century. In 1387 Magnerri still was an independent parish. When in 1712 the 40 families living here asked and obtained a priest for the daily celebration of the Mass, many contrasts arose and it was necessary to require the intervention of the Senate of Genoa to settle the controversy. The modern parish church dates back to the XVII century, with nave and two aisles, it has five altars. In the left one St. Claro’s relics are kept.