One of Piedmont’s most spectacular landmarks will once again send a symbolic blade of light into the night sky. From September 17 through September 30, 2026, the Sacra di San Michele will host the return of the “Spada di Luce,” or Sword of Light, an installation inspired by the traditional image of the Archangel Michael.
The beam will rise for about 3 kilometers from the medieval abbey, positioned at a fixed angle of 47 degrees and directed eastward – toward the sunrise and the direction faced by the Sacra’s great apse window. The installation will be activated every evening beginning at sunset, surrounding the September 29 feast of Saint Michael the Archangel.
Created in 2021 from an idea by photographer Franco Borrelli, who has devoted several publications to the Sacra di San Michele, the project transforms a centuries-old religious symbol into a contemporary work of light. Its meaning centers on the contrast between light and darkness, truth and illusion, courage and fear.
The setting makes the spectacle especially powerful. The Sacra rises on Monte Pirchiriano, at about 962 meters above sea level, overlooking the entrance to the Susa Valley roughly 40 kilometers from Turin.
Its importance extends far beyond its dramatic location. In 1994, the Regione Piemonte officially recognized the Sacra di San Michele as the symbolic monument of Piemonte because of its extraordinary historical, artistic and cultural significance.
With origins dating to approximately 983–987, the abbey has watched over this Alpine landscape for more than 1,000 years. For 14 September nights in 2026, its ancient silhouette will again be joined by a modern 3-kilometer sword pointing into the sky.
