Churches in Ampezzo
In
the actual municipal territory of Cortina
d’Ampezzo
we can find the parish church and
others 18 buildings appointed to worship,
called
without distinction churches, small churches,
chapels.
Almost all the villages which form
the community of Cortina are adorned with one of these churches
which are administrated by the brothers founders.
Among village houses, was originally
erected a crucifix and later it was substituted with a small church,
clear religious presence and in the same time pride for the brothers
founders, who assembled there and guarded it.
In the ampezzana basin, we can note
that churches have substituted crucifixes,
in this way they didn’t
have the function of defending from
obscure and supernatural evil, which
we find in the main part of the alpine
areas.
The presence of a high number of site
destined to cult, with impoverished importance of crucifixes,
are peculiar aspects in the religious culture in Cortina, but
it is also curious to note how this strong expansion follows the
waves, due to the complex and various events of the European religious
story. If we observe the erection date of the churches in Cortina,
we can collect them in three groups which remember particular
moments of the religious development, and which are independent
from the transitions of the ampezzana religious community.
The first group is composed by sites
born during 18 and 19 century and they are the sign of the first
religious community in Ampezzo. It was the result of the development
of mendicant orders (St. Francesco church), the wish to connect
firmly the religious life to the history memory of the zone (
Church to Beata Vergine della Difesa)
And the wish to the people of the
villages with the people in their
pilgrimages (St. Nicolò a Ospitale
church).
In Cortina many small churches kept
a little liturgical function and narrow bond with the village
life: for this reason people guard, renew and take care of theim,
with a spirit of devotion and a sense of property. All that brought
to a big conservative advantages, and today we can admire efficient
churches, clean and protected by brothers.
Every church has a responsible, he is named by brothers, that
is “gastaldo”, and a sacristan.
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