Arco Evangelical Church Celebrates 100 Years of Faith and Community
Towards the end of the last century, the City of Palms was populated, also by a sizable group of Evangelical faithful, mostly Austrians and Germans, who were present locally to care for their respiratory health, benefiting from the particular climate with its restorative and miraculous effects.
Many outsiders deemed it appropriate to have a Pastor by their side, at least during the tourist season. Religious services thus began to be celebrated in festival halls and nursing homes. Until one generous guest donated land for the construction of a church.
The substantial costs for the building works were mainly contributed by the faithful themselves through generous donations, but also by the Presbytery of Merano (the oldest in Tyrol) as well as the German Emperor. After various vicissitudes, in the spring of 1900, the church was finally inaugurated.
Inauguration and Celebrations
Yesterday morning, in the presence of the mayor of Arco Renato Veronesi, Archpriest Don Luigi Amadori, and Meranese Pastor Hans Reimer, amidst a large gathering of faithful (guests on the Carda during the long German Whit Monday holiday), the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity of Arco was celebrated.
The host was Pastor Ingrid Rauh, residing in Dro, who for the past five years, succeeding Franz Otto Zanfrini, has been leading the small evangelical community.
“Today is a day of celebration for us,” she explains. “A moment of joy that we want to share with the friends of Arco, with whom we have a deep friendship and collaboration, both with the Catholic community and the municipal administration.”
A perfect understanding, also emphasized by the mayor Veronesi. “I am pleased to bring greetings from Arco to a community that operates continuously but silently.
Entering this place of worship is a very emotional experience, not only because of its architectural merits but especially for what happens inside here.”
The activity of the Evangelical church of Arco is very intense during the warm months, from April to October, characterized not only by Sunday liturgies but also by meetings, events, and outings, both excursions outside town and hikes on the surrounding slopes.
In winter, the pace eases, but the commitment of Pastor Rauh and her colleagues does not diminish, as they continue their “missionary” work, especially through social initiatives supporting the elderly and those in need.
The residents who attend the Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity north of Lake Carda number fewer than thirty, a figure that increases exponentially with the arrival of tourists.
Many are the weddings that numerous young couples come from Germany to celebrate in the scenic Arco cathedral.
The celebrations for the centenary of its construction, which began on Sunday with the concert by the Monte Stivo choir, continued with a performance by the Swiss choir of “S. Maria” and concluded with a lively dinner at a local restaurant.