This singular invocation to Saint Joseph is found in the church of Grosio (Sondrio). The Catholic people wanted a grandiose construction dedicated to the holy Patriarch. Typical desserts are prepared in its annual festival.
Pietro's Franzini
Grosio is a charming town in the upper Valtellina, with over 4.000 inhabitants, located between Sondrio and Bormio. Its patron saint is Saint Joseph and the majestic church built in 1626, consecrated in 1674 and then became a parish church in 1818 is dedicated to him.
The temple, an example of Valtellina baroque, was a peaceful response by Catholics to the religious struggles, which were particularly heated in Valtellina.
Above the main door of the facade is the statue of the holy Patriarch, while inside he is depicted in different parts; the fundamental moments of his life are painted in the dome, while above the holy water pile a valuable bronze statuette depicts him with the lily; behind the main altar there is the painting of the Marriage of the Madonna, while on the counter-façade a large canvas depicts the Transit of Saint Joseph and on the scroll we read the original dedication in Latin: Frumenti Electorum Conservatori/Comunitas Grosii posuit / Anno MDCXXVI [To the Custodian of the Wheat of the elect/the community of Grosio placed/Anno 1626]. Inside a side chapel a well-made modern statue is venerated, representing the Saint holding the Child in his arms.
But the prayer of the Grosino people is also strongly marked by Marian devotion, which has its driving force in the nearby sanctuary of Tirano. Therefore, next to Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary could not be missing and two altars are dedicated to the Madonna. The first dates back to the original project of the church and is located in the left chapel of the transept, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary; the eighteenth-century altarpiece depicts her immersed in the light of God the Father and surrounded by angels and saints. But towards the end of the nineteenth century, driven by the teaching of Leo XIII and his exhortations to practice the prayer of the Rosary, the parishioners dedicated a second altar to the Madonna, exchanging the previous dedication from the saints Rocco and Sebastiano with a new one to the holy Rosary .
The faithful of Grosio also wanted to complete the work that honored Saint Joseph with the construction of a beautiful bell tower, between 1688 and 1720. It rises to a height of 65 chins and is equipped with a concert of 8 bells, cast in 1908 in the local Giorgio Pruneri Foundry, which had been operating in the sector since 1832. Furthermore, they did not want their church to lack the sound of the organ, or rather two. On the large pillars that narrow the hall, two orchestras for organ and counter-organ were built between 1801 and 1807, decorated and gilded in 1870. The organ on the left is a valuable work by Giovan Battista Ettori of Breno Valcamonica, built in 1801; on the right, a Balbiani Vegezzi-Bossi choral organ was placed in 1970
The patronal feast on March 19 involves the entire parish community in a solemn celebration of the Holy Mass, preceded by evenings of cultural study and a triduum of prayers. On the same day, the traditional fair of goods (once also of livestock) takes place, established around 1860 thanks to the interest of the Marquis Emilio Visconti Venosta. In recent years, the traditional preparation of "curnat de san Giusef" has seen a notable revival, a typical product of the local culinary tradition to be enjoyed in a different way during the celebration. They are scones made of flour, cream and sugar, typical of the "poor" cuisine of mountain villages.
When we talk about the patron saint of a church, it is natural to ask ourselves why it was dedicated to that saint and not to another. It is always difficult to give a precise answer when no written documentation is found, but knowledge of the historical moment in which the church of Grosio was built can help. The 8th century was a propitious time for the spread of devotion to Saint Joseph. With a decree of 1621 March 1621 Gregory XV had made the feast of Saint Joseph obligatory for the entire Church. Considering the proximity of 1626 with the beginning of the construction of the church in XNUMX, it can be deduced that the inhabitants of Grosio accepted the cult and dedicated it in his honour. Moreover, the cult of Saint Joseph had notable developments among the faithful, especially when on 8 December 1870 Pope Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph the patron saint of the universal Church. he is invoked as the protector of artisans, carpenters, joiners, cabinetmakers, workers, bursars, family men, solicitors, the dying, the homeless and exiles.
Don Luigi Maria Epicoco writes about him: «St. Joseph is an embrace that protects the light and directs it towards what is darkest; it is something more, and it is the more that God wanted alongside Mary and Jesus. Ultimately, this is what he continues to do now in the lives of all those who entrust themselves to him." Patron of the community of Grosio, intercessor with Mary and Jesus before God, let us invoke him with confidence, so that as he was a faithful and attentive guardian of Jesus and Mary, he may protect us in the happy and sad events of life.