Was it divine intervention or simple luck that led to the construction of the Chiesa di Santa Colomba? The exact date of its construction remains a mystery. However its presence is first noted in a medieval list of churches in the Milanese region. This ancient document called the Liber Notitiae Sanctorum Mediolanensis mentions a church dedicated to Santa Colomba in Canegrate.
During the Middle Ages the Chiesa di Santa Colomba was part of a small convent. It belonged to the Order of the Humiliated. This religious community also had a farm. The farm was likely located on the southwest side of the church.
Let’s fast forward to October 17 1566. Cardinal Carlo Borromeo paid a pastoral visit. The records from this visit provide the first detailed descriptions of the Chiesa di Santa Colomba. The report mentions a cemetery without walls. It was next to the church. Later pastoral visits in 1570 and 1583 recorded the dimensions of the single nave. It measured about 15 by 30 cubits.
What you see today is largely the result of work done between the 17th and 18th centuries. The main nave was probably extended. The sacristy was built. The bell tower and facade received their final form. The Chiesa di Santa Colomba has a single rectangular nave. Its apse is semicircular.
The presbytery is separated from the nave. There is a marble railing and an iron gate. The church has a single altar made of masonry. It is partially covered in wood. A small temple sits above the altar. It holds a statue of the Madonna del Carmine. The bell tower dates back to the 18th century. The church’s facade is neoclassical. It features double pilasters on the sides. The entrance displays an fresco of Santa Colomba.
In 1973 a small dome was added. It houses the bells that were originally in the bell tower. They came from the old parish church in Piazza Matteotti. After World War I the neighborhood established the Festa di Santa Colomba. This festival continues to this day. It is celebrated every year on the first Sunday in July. The day includes a mass refreshments and the sale of homemade cakes. There are also baskets of fruit and vegetables. In the afternoon children receive a blessing. People can kiss the relic. In the evening there is a rosary and another opportunity to kiss the relic. Throughout the day a charity stand is open. There are stalls selling handmade linens. All proceeds from the day go to the upkeep of the Chiesa di Santa Colomba.