S. Giuseppe Church Restoration Reopens After Nearly 30 Years
The 17th-century church of S. Giuseppe, at the bridge over the Sarca, will be reopened after nearly three decades of closure. The official ceremony is scheduled for next Sunday at 3:30 PM, with a celebration of the mass.
The long period of abandonment has been overcome by a spontaneous committee composed of local residents, who restored the sacred site, after it had become a storage room for the parish. The group of about ten volunteers, coordinated by Bernardo Lo Turco, commissioned architects Roberto Bresciani and Andrea Rigo to prepare the project for the structural reinforcement of the church.
Restoration work and cultural commitment
Among other issues, the small bell tower is unstable, and the Fitta canal runs beneath the floor, resulting in high humidity levels. The two professionals will also be tasked with restoring the artistic heritage. Notably of interest are the various frescoes attributed to the painter Aldi.
The provincial cultural heritage superintendent has been informed of the restoration, and the committee is also awaiting the necessary funding from them. “The opening of the little church is not only a religious event but also a social one,” emphasizes president Lo Turco. “In the past, the committee of the S. Giuseppe church always existed and focused on the social life of the local residents.
The organization used to coordinate the festive aspects of various religious celebrations, particularly the feast day scheduled for March 19. The community would spend significant time preparing the demanding program, which until the 1950s even included fireworks.
Gathering together fostered a strong sense of community among residents of the S. Giuseppe neighborhood: new acquaintances were made, and old friendships strengthened. In 1975, with the dissolution of the committee, social activities ceased, and as a consequence, the church remained closed until recently.
Lo Turco and his friends are working to revitalize the old neighborhood once again. The March 19th feast will surely be restored. Several other events are in planning, involving children and parents in the area.
Another initiative will be the daily opening of the artistic little church. “During recent renovation works – comments Lo Turco – tourists flocked in to admire, amid the dust, the still-degraded frescoes.
