Christianity – the churches
There is an air of mystery and doubt linked to the spread of Christianity in the Val di Lima. The first churches documented are the church of Saint Cassiano and the parish church ofSaint Giulia. At first and for some time the parish church was the only church in the parish; then, above all during the 8th and 9th centuries, others appeared, mainly through the initiative of individuals.However, these churches were still under the jurisdiction of the parish church, which housed the only baptismal font and cemetery.
In the 10th and 11th centuries some of these “subiectae” churches are endowed with cemeteries; but they will not have fonts until the 14th century. From then on the dependence on the parish gradually diminishes, until it becomes purely formal.
According to the survey of 1260, the two churches of Casoli Ecclesia S. Donati de Casore and Ecclesia S. Andree de Lacu, the church of Limano Ecclesia S. Martino de Limano and the hermit’s cell Cella Crucis Brandelliana, depended on the “Plebes de Vico Panceloro”.
The Church of Casoli, formerly dedicated to Saint Donato, now has Saint Bartolomeo as its patron saint. It was given a baptismal font on 10th February 1411.
As a result of its many alterations, little remains of the original Romanesque structure.
The Church of Saint Andrea still stands on the hill of the same name above Casoli, near the ancient lake which gave its name to the villa which existed on its shores in antiquity. All that is left of the ancient building, dating from the 12th century, are the perimeter walls and apse.
In 1358, the church of Saint Andrea was joined to the church of Casoli; less than a century later, in 1467, it was already a ruin.
The cell of Croce Brandelliana stood on the ridge separating the Val di Lima from the Valle della Pescia, between mount Memoriante and the Penna (peak) di Lucchio. A hospital once stood in the vicinity; its ruins are still visible close by the Rio (stream) Morgana.
By 1467 the cell was already ruined and the hospice of Saint Martin was probably assigned the role that the cell had once had. |
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