The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-01-03
BEAUTIES OF THE ITALIAN ALPS
-CHURCHES AND SHRlNES
SCATT TERED PROEUSELY
THROUGHOUT WOND E r F Y l
VALLEYS AND ON MOUNTAIN
PEAks-LEGEND OF THE BELL
AND THE COCK.
written for The Catholic Bulletin by
Marie Widmer) b..
(Continued.)
In Italian Switzerland.

IN ltalIan switzerland.
Another section of Switzerland
where the deep religious convictions
of the population are strongly in eyi
dence is in the Canton Of T,icino, the
Italian speaking part of the country,
where the two proverbially beautiful
lake cities of Lugano and LocarnO
are particularly noted for their places
Of worship.
Lugano.
Lugano, which also traces it's origin
far back into the Roman period, has
often been described as miniature
Naples. The interior of the town is
quantity arcaded and paved in large
blocks, Italian fashion. and the
numerous time-honored churches con-
of art.
Bernardino Luini has left some Of
his very best works upon the walls of
S. Maria degli Angioli, a Passion" in
three sections, a Last Supper and
a widely known Madonna. Luini was
especially painter OF frescoes, and
in this capacity he had no rival for
the brilliancy and unity of his colors
The Cathedral of San LorenZa, which
was erected by Tommaso Rodari at
the end Of the 18th century, occupies
a prominent position on a hill and has
a costly marble facade in the early
Renaissance style. ConnOisseurs hail
it as the finest specimen of its kind
in that part of Europe, and artists de-
scribe it as a symphony in marble.
Locarno.
At the head of Lake MaggiOre, in a
veritable bower of exotic shrubs and
flowers lies LocarnO, with the ancient
pilgrimage church, the Madonna del
SaSsO, tow ering on a rocky pinnacle
high above, characteristic and ever
enchanting landmark for the entire
region.
A funicular railway, climbing the
gorge of the Ramogna, eliminates the
somewhat steep ascent On foot, but
those who like to linger awhile in
meditation en- route rejoice at the OPP
| portunity offered to them along the
romantic path, the Via della Cap
pella," with the IA Stations of the
Cross. ~
! On the hilltop, affording an mex
pressibly beautiful view of this Eden
like portion of southern Switzerland,
| the solemn stiffness of the cloisters
| dwells The church itself was founded
| in 1869, and is particularly renowned
| for two choice oil paintings which it
contains: The Entombment,' by A.
Ciseri, and the Flight Into Egypt"
| a masterpiece of Bramantino's. Sew
eral venerable and interesting places
of worship are also found within the
| city of Locarno, and in the lovely gar
den suburb of Muralto there stands,
what is probably the oldest place of
worship in the canton, San Vittore,
Romanesques church of the 18th cen
| fury. In the wall of the tower there
is small marble figure, representing
San Vittore, a work of great value,
! and the crypt Of the saint, in Byzan-
tine style, is also worthy of a visit.
| -
Across the Simplon.
From the Swiss-Italian lake region
/ we avail ourselves Of the great inter
/ national highway, the Simplon route,
/ to enter the Canton of Valais, a part
of Switzerland which is not only cele-
brated for it's scenic beauty but also
for the simple piety of its inhabitants
The first authentic mention of the
| Simplon Pass occurs in 1880, when a
/ contract was signed between the
| Bishop of Sion and commercial
house in Milan, containing a clause:
with a view of employing the path
across the Simplon, which, since the
Roman era, has fallen into disuse.'
At the beginning of the 14th century
a hospice of the Knights of Malta was
erected on the summit of the Simplon
Pass, but in course of time it fell
again into decay. In 1850, a certain
Kaspar Stockalper, an extremely
wealthy and powerful patrician Of
Brig, on the Swiss exit of the Simplor
road, caused a so-called tower to be
erected on the site, which served not
only as summer residence for him
self and his family, but also as place