Saint Leonardo of Porto Maurizio has been the patron saint of the city of Imperia since 1991 , when he was chosen to symbolically unite the religious traditions of the two main historical centers of the city: Oneglia and Porto Maurizio.

Born Girolamo Casanova in 1676 , he spent the first years of his life in the Parasio district, in an environment of silence and meditation that would profoundly influence his religious vocation.

Girolamo Casanova became a priest at 26 and later a missionary friar. He traveled extensively throughout Italy, dedicating himself to preaching.

After a few years, he returned to Porto Maurizio to recover from tuberculosis. According to tradition, his recovery was miraculously achieved through the intercession of the Madonna di Piani , venerated in the village of the same name in the Prino Valley.

Having resumed his missionary activity, Saint Leonard acquired great fame as a preacher. He died in Rome on November 26, 1751. His remains rest today in the Cathedral of San Maurizio .

The church adjacent to the house where he was born houses a baroque altar from 1667 and a canvas depicting Our Lady of Sorrows and the Souls in Purgatory by Gregorio De Ferrari .

The numerous works preserved inside come from different eras and contexts. This variety reflects the complex history of the building, which was used over time by the Caterinettes, the Company of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows of Death and Prayer, and later by the Friars Minor.

In the lunette above the entrance was depicted the mystical marriage of Saint Catherine , a work that is now almost completely illegible.

In Piazza Duomo a bronze statue commemorates the famous sermon during which, according to tradition, Saint Leonard indicated the place where the future Cathedral of San Maurizio was to be built.

The feast of Saint Leonard is celebrated on November 26th . On this very date, around 12:10 pm , a ray of light penetrates through a crack in the Cathedral of Saint Maurice and illuminates the pulpit of the Basilica, creating an evocative phenomenon linked to the anniversary of the Saint.