church Archives | Ecomuseo Bianzone

Colle d’Anzana: the mountain unites Italy and Switzerland in the spirit of hope

ecomuseo — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:18:15 +0000

COLLE D’ANZANA – There is a place, straddling the border between Italy and Switzerland, where geographical boundaries fade away to make way for friendship between peoples, faith and a love of nature. This place is Colle d’Anzana, which on Sunday 19 July 2026 provided the setting for a memorable day, bringing together around 180 people who had made their way up from different sides of the mountain.

The event marked the renewal of the historic twinning with the Swiss community of Brusio, but this year saw a significant step forward: the official extension of the twinning to include the community of Teglio. At the foot of the Madonnina, a diverse gathering of pilgrims and walkers had thus formed: around thirty people from Nemina and Campione, a delegation from the CAI in Teglio who had set off from Prato Valentino, and a large group of worshippers who had made the climb from Cavaione.

Archbishop Pegoraro’s first time

What lent the occasion extraordinary significance was the presence of Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro, who was recently elevated to the rank of Archbishop by Pope Leo XIV and appointed President of the Pontifical Academy for Life. The senior prelate has deep ties to this region, particularly to the Swiss Upper Saiento Valley, where he usually spends the month of August. Monsignor Pegoraro chose to personally concelebrate Holy Mass alongside Don Tullio Schivalocchi, the highly esteemed parish priest of Bianzone.

During the liturgy, Father Tullio proclaimed the Gospel from the parable of the weeds and the good wheat: the story of the owner of the field who refuses to pull up the weeds straight away, so as not to risk ruining the good crop, preferring instead to wait patiently until harvest time.

A message against the darkness in the world

Archbishop Pegoraro’s powerful homily centred precisely on the values of patience and trust. Addressing the 180 people present, the senior prelate analysed the sufferings and ills afflicting contemporary society, whilst making a strong appeal not to give in to discouragement.

Monsignor Pegoraro recalled that life is a intertwining of light and darkness, but that man has a duty to always cultivate goodness. Referring to the biblical account of the Great Flood, he offered a poignant interpretation of the rainbow that many had marvelled at the previous evening: that colourful bridge in the sky is the symbol of the covenant between God and humanity. “God will not send another flood,” he reassured the congregation, “but He places immense trust in humankind, waiting patiently for us to find the right path again.”.

The party and the escape in the rain

After the final blessing, the day continued in a spirit of conviviality and cultural exchange. Our Swiss friends made their way to the Anzana Hut to share a lunch, whilst the Italian group preferred to eat their packed lunch near the memorial stone dedicated to Don Cirillo.

However, this moment of relaxation and togetherness was abruptly interrupted by clouds that quickly gathered over the hill, bringing heavy rain. This unexpected turn of events forced the participants to pack their rucksacks in a hurry and set off on the return journey. It was a wet end to the day, but one that did nothing to diminish the warmth and profound significance of a gathering that continues to unite peoples beneath the Alpine sky.

Photos of today’s ceremony at Colle by Dorsa L.

L'articolo Colle d’Anzana, la montagna unisce Italia e Svizzera nel segno della speranza proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

FESTIVAL AT COLLE D’ANZANA

ecomuseo — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:20:57 +0000

After several years, the traditional Festa al Colle d’Anzana, held in partnership with Brusio, returned in July 2025. This year, the event will take place on Sunday 19 July and will also feature a group from Teglio.

The Mass will be celebrated by Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro and Father Tullio Schivalocchi.

Setting off on foot as a group:

– from Nemina Alta, subject to purchasing a day pass from the Town Hall or the Alex Bar, at 8.00 am; or, for those without a car, the meeting point will be in Piazza Vanoni at 7.30 am.

– from Prato Valentino, by taking part in the walk organised by the CAI in Teglio, setting off at 8 am; please call 349 8302848 (Paolo) or 347 3578756 (Cai Teglio)

The walk will be approximately 4 km one way and of moderate difficulty, following a dirt track, half of which is in the shade.

It is also possible to reach the Colle from Campione by following a section of the eco-museum trail COL D’ANZANA: A BORDERLAND.

We recommend that you bring hiking equipment:

-Hiking boots

- A rucksack containing water and food supplies

-Clothing suitable for changeable weather

-Items to protect you from the sun: sunglasses, a cap, sun cream

For those who are unable to walk the route from the Italian side, there is the option of doing so from Switzerland. The path starts in Campascio, heading towards the Anzana mountain hut.

High-altitude programme:

– 11.30 am: Holy Mass on the hill at the Madonnina

– 12.30 pm Packed lunch

– Around 2.30 pm: Return

For further information, please call Don Tullio on 334 2536830

Attached you will find:

some slides taken by Igino Ronchi during a ‘Festa al Colle’ in the 1980s © Igino Ronchi 1984
Photos from last year’s Mass © Luana Dorsa 2025

L'articolo FESTA AL COLLE D’ANZANA proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

THE CHURCH OF SAN MARTINO: A CLOSED PLACE THAT HAS THE RIGHT TO REGAIN THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES

ecomuseo — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 06:29:07 UTC

In the past....

on 25 April, the day dedicated to St Mark and the Liberation, it was traditional to go in procession to the church of San Martino.

The church of San Martino has early medieval origins.

It is oriented towards the equinoctial sunrise and dedicated to the holy bishop of Tours, held in high esteem in Carolingian times.

For years, the church has been closed to the public, it has even been deconsecrated and the bell, cast by Gregorio Quadrio of Ponte in Valtellina in 1591 and donated by Gianluigi Pergola, has been removed.

Despite this, the people of Bianzone maintain a strong bond with this sacred place on the border with Villa di Tirano, in the area where the village originally stood. Memories are still alive in the older people of the celebrations for St. Gotthard:

At the beginning of May, a mass dedicated to St Gotthard was celebrated in St Martin's Church. In the churchyard there were stalls and it was an important feast especially for children, who could enjoy, at least for a day, the sight of many toys and in some cases there was even the possibility of taking at least one of them home.

The typical sweet of this feast was the red pipe.

Every year, to enhance this sacred property, a nativity scene is set up in the ossuary of the 18th-century structure, now totally bare, once completely painted. Among the various depictions was a goat symbolising the devil, which parents resorted to in order to strike fear into their children if they came home late at night.

The interior of the church, with a single nave covered with several vaults, is bare. Traces of 18th-century painting remain on the left wall where the St. Gotthard altar was placed, in the presbytery and especially in the sacristy. Here, the image of St. Martin on horseback cutting the cloak to cover the poor is still clearly visible.

In the second half of the 1970s it was the subject of major restoration work strongly desired by the then parish priest Don Virginio Zubiani who wanted to reopen it for worship. The roof of the church and ossuary, replaced the stained glass windows, placed the ducting, painted the facade main, repaired the gate, The deteriorated concrete fountain was removed and replaced by the current one. fontanelle embedded in the churchyard wall. Inside, the cornice e the electrical system and the stone slabs had been prepared to remake the floor which were then placed by parish priest Don Bruno Rocca.

Despite all these works, the Church of St. Martin was never reopened.

Its brightness, acoustics and location accessible by car, on foot and by bicycle make it a potentially suitable place for visitors.

quoted from:

book ‘When Fireflies Flew - Volume 2’ by Vanda Cerveri
Bianzone tra vigne, chiese, palazzi e antiche contrade‘ guide by Gianluigi Garbellini

Photo of 11 April 2026

L'articolo LA CHIESA DI SAN MARTINO: UN LUOGO CHIUSO CHE HA DIRITTO DI RIOTTENERE IL RICONOSCIMENTO CHE MERITA proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

GOSPEL CONCERT AT SAN SIRO

ecomuseo — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 20:44:55 +0000

The Seraphims Gospel Choir kicks off the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the reopening of the Church of San Siro

Monday 8 December 2025, to mark the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Bianzone will be hosting a special event: the concert by the Seraphims Gospel Choir, scheduled for 8.00 pm at the Parish Church of San Siro. Admission is free.

The event marks the start of a two days dedicated to the community and its main church, which is celebrating its 25 years since the reopening, which took place on 9 December following a major restoration project.

To mark the anniversary, a […], will be unveiled on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception photography exhibition which traces the period of the works and the ceremony marking the handover of the church to the local community. An opportunity to relive the recent history of a place that symbolises the town.

The concert by the Seraphims Gospel Choir, conducted by Monica Izzo, will take the audience on an engaging journey through spiritual music, contemporary gospel and shared emotions, in an atmosphere that is perfect for kicking off the festive season.

L'articolo CONCERTO GOSPEL A SAN SIRO proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

THE FESTA AL COLLE IS BACK

ecomuseo — Sun, 20 July 2025 15:17:53 +0000

During the summer, on occasion, there was the ‘prucesiùn del sciüc al Col’. This procession took place only in exceptional circumstances, when a persistent drought threatened to ruin the harvest in the countryside. It was an extremely long and arduous journey: on foot, from the Church of San Siro, the procession made its way to the cross situated on the Italian-Swiss border at Colle, to pray for rain.

Today, 20 July 2025, Don Tullio, parish priest of Bianzone, celebrated Holy Mass in the presence of the faithful from various villages: Teglio, Campei, Campione, Bianzone, Villa, Brusio, Poschiavo, and even one from Milan.

The theme of the Gospel reading centred on hospitality, which is so precious that days such as today hold special significance.

After a break, this lovely ceremony on top of the hill has returned this year and is set to take place again next year.

The meeting point was in Piazza Vanoni in Bianzone at 7.30. After travelling to Nemina Alta, the walk began, taking the group to Colle in a couple of hours, where Don Tullio celebrated Holy Mass at 11.30 near the Madonnina.

This was followed by a packed lunch on site.

A large delegation also arrived from Switzerland, taking the road at Campascio towards the Anzana mountain hut.

Attached:

L'articolo RITORNA LA FESTA AL COLLE proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.