Lazise Parish Church Restoration Completes with Albini Penne Nere Funding

The black penne have arrived at the altar. Their goal was to work on the floor of the main altar and the apse of the Parish Church of Saints Martino and Zenone, and they have succeeded. The installation of the large slabs of white marble and Verona red marble has been completed in recent days, carried out by the construction company Francesco Lavelli, in the apse, the choir, and the main altar of the parish church, whose restoration works have been ongoing for over two years. It was precisely the Alpini, from the Lazise group, who financed and wanted a part of the renewed parish church to bear the eternal mark of the local penne nere.

Restoration and Redevelopment Works

Thanks to an agreement among the Alpini, the parish priest, and the Soprintendenza ai beni architettonici di Verona, this dream has become possible. “We are almost at the finish line,” declared parish priest Don Edoardo Sacchella, “and in a few months, we will finally see the church in all its beauty.” Restoration work is also nearing completion in the sacristy and the youth area.

Once the apse is definitively finished, there will be an opportunity to reinstall the magnificent pipe organ, now restored and overhauled thanks to the contributions of faithful benefactors. The return of the organ will also enable the schola cantorum to perform its repertoire with greater intensity.

New Theatre and Parish Activities

The new main features of the renovated parish theater, adjacent to the church, are also taking shape. Thanks to the swift interventions of the restoration company, this venue will regain its true appearance, offering the possibility of easy use for all recreational and cultural activities that are inherently connected to the parish’s pastoral activities.

The financial commitment is substantial, but the generosity of the residents of Lazise has always been a point of pride. However, the works are also causing some temporary issues. For several days, the bells have been silent and will remain so for about two weeks.

Temporary Suspension of Bell Service

The bells will not ring out the hours of day and night, nor will they call the faithful to religious services or chime the Ave Maria or the hours of the day. And this is not because the parish priest or sacristan have changed their habits. Unfortunately, the control unit that operates the church’s bell system is under repair.

“The operation,” said the parish priest, “was necessary because the extensive restoration work on the church generated a considerable amount of dust, prompting technicians to carry out a complete overhaul of the system.” The sound of the bells will return, more complete and resonant than before, by the end of February, or at the latest, in the first days of March, should there be any inconvenience during the mechanisms’ revision process in the bell tower.

Concluding Remarks and Hopes

This operation is progressively closing the circle on the major restoration works of the temple dedicated to San Martino and San Zenone, which turned out to be much more complex than initially anticipated and took longer than expected. The workers estimate that they can resolve all pending issues by Easter and thus before the start of the tourist season.