Veneto Church Restoration Delayed by Funding, Archaeological Discoveries
San Fermo e Rustico are currently on hold. They waited many years before finally gaining media attention, and perhaps waiting a few more months won’t be so difficult. Of course, as an old proverb advises, it is better to strike while the iron is hot than to wait in uncertainty, hoping to continue the recovery and restoration work.
But the promoters, friends of Francesco Fontana, do not feel confident to proceed without tangible guarantees of having the necessary funds to complete the work started. The eighty million euros promised by the Regione del Veneto have not yet been received, and, as is obvious in these situations, no one feels capable of continuing and personally committing to meet the financial obligations.
“The roof, the perimeter walls, the foundations, and other supporting structures have already been consolidated,” states Giulio Rama. “But the rest is waiting for events. We need to finish the interiors and some other details before we can return the church to worship. It will still be part of the Comune di Lazise, as it appears that the Verona episcopal curia, despite the new concordat with the Holy See, has never requested to reclaim the abandoned, desecrated little church, which has been out of use for a long time, and used for purposes unrelated to worship and the religious activities for which it was built by our ancestors.”
The Restoration and Valorization Project
“The small house adjacent to the church,” continues Rama, “will also be restored and will become a center for historical and cultural documentation of the Lazise territory. It will eventually serve as a real cultural and artistic reference point for the lower lake area.”
“After all, this is where our roots are,” the president adds. “This has been clearly demonstrated by recent discoveries in the deep flooring of the structure dedicated to worship. It reveals a late Roman settlement and some tombs attributable to a much later era. These are significant findings that the Soprintendenza ai beni artistici del Veneto has taken seriously and is carefully evaluating to provide definitive answers.”
Upcoming Interventions and Initiatives
“The initial incontrovertible data on the artifacts discovered,” continues Rama, “will be available soon, right here in Lazise. In the coming days in November, coinciding with the celebrations of the patron saint, San Martino, we will organize a gathering promoted by Francesco Fontana, inviting the entire community to share the discoveries. The Soprintendenza will also be present with some experts who will explain the human remains found at the locality I Santi, where the small temple is located.”
As soon as it is possible to remove the scaffolding and make the site accessible and safe, the leaders of Francesco Fontana plan to bring Lazise residents directly to the site to inform them about the restoration and to provide a more detailed knowledge of the Santi church, which is little known, obscure for most, and has recently been brought back to the headlines thanks to the perseverance and dedication of volunteers, friends of the pharmacist from Pesina, who loved Lazise more than his native land.
Sergio Bazerla
