Not the right page but an interesting inquiry

[scruffy1]

I am off for a summer vacation on the Italian lakes, Como Garda etc, seems there is a 12th century church dedicated to Saint James in Ballagio! Not exactly on the pilgrims route not on the Via Francigena not on the route from Venezia. Why here? 12th Century is a time of the Popes at Avignon and schism The French have their own collection of saints of whom no one else has ever heard of. The Italians have their own favorite saints as well. Spanish rule in the area is only from 16th century. Anyone have an idea of why Saint James in Bellagio at this time?
Scruffy

 

[Kiwi-family]

maybe a missionary toddled off in that direction?

 

[NicoZ]

I am off for a summer vacation on the Italian lakes, Como Garda etc, seems there is a 12th century church dedicated to Saint James !

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giacomo

Which one? I don't see Ballagio on the list for san Giacomo il Maggiore

 

[rosswall]

I am off for a summer vacation on the Italian lakes, Como Garda etc, seems there is a 12th century church dedicated to Saint James in Ballagio! Not exactly on the pilgrims route not on the Via Francigena not on the route from Venezia. Why here? 12th Century is a time of the Popes at Avignon and schism The French have their own collection of saints of whom no one else has ever heard of. The Italians have their own favorite saints as well. Spanish rule in the area is only from 16th century. Anyone have an idea of why Saint James in Bellagio at this time?
Scruffy

Make sure to visit Cafe Bar Rossi on the waterfront. Best coffee in Bellagio

 

[scruffy1]

Saint James is the patron saint of Bellagio, the church may be seen here: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/53931324. Any of our Italian bretheran reading this?

 

[NicoZ]

I got to say I find your questions kind of strange.

You're surprised to find a church in Italy? A church for a saint canonized in Rome?

http://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/ar ... 180-00302/

That claims building started 1075. Isn't that not much later then the finding of the tomb in Spain?

The town festa is the 25th of July so I assume it's the greater and not one of the others.

 

[giorgio]

Hallo scruffy,
Sain James ( San Giacomo , in italian language) is very popular in Italy.
If you go to google.it and look for images of chiesa san giacomo you'll have quite a number of pictures to look at....
Wish you a nice vacation
Giorgio

 

[scruffy1]

Blogs are such an inconvenient way of trying to communicate-true I am not the brightest bulb in the shop but there seems to be an amazing interest in Saint James the 12th century - churches in Venice and the Dolomites I have seen, Bellagio not yet. According to some authors, by the middle years of the 11th century the Santiago and the cult of Saint James had became a pan-European place of peregrination, second only to Rome and Jerusalem while other sources maintain make that the cult to Saint James was before 11-12th centuries an essentially Galician affair, supported by Asturian and Leonese kings attempting to earn foster Galician loyalties. The 12th century saw a huge influx of relics from the Crusaders and the Holy Lands creating chapels and churches all over Europe dedicated to almost any Biblical figure one might name and all this even before the treacherous Fourth Crusade in the 13th century which flooded Western Europe with the treasures of Istanbul. Perhaps the church in Bellagio was consecrated on a July 25, all that can be said is that as in the Dolomites we find a wonderful church dedicated to Saint James in the middle of what was then nowhere at best a fortress for neighboring towns and again ask why.