Chiesa di San Materno Vescovo

It is the Church where I received the sacraments. And the ancient and beautiful bell tower + bottom of the church dates back to 1452 if I am not mistaken

I recommend a visit to the church, one of the largest and richest in history in the area and the beautiful town and surroundings with the river Po

Passed by chance. I never thought of finding such a beautiful church in such a small town. It looks like a small cathedral. Will there be an explanation for why a church was so well made in a country that seems abandoned by God?

San Materno has certainly been the patron saint of the town for at least 500 years. The current Church of S.MATERNO, the fourth parish of Melara, was built at the time of Don GIOVANNI MONTINI archpriest from 1704 to 1732. The primitive parish, dating back to around the year 1000, was that of S. Michele alla Mariconda transferred in the 12th century to that of S. Maria situated between the walls of the fortress called Rocca. The penultimate was in the vicinity of the current one and was also dedicated to St. Maternus. In 1732 the old S. Materno was facing in the morning and the new one at noon, both facing the same churchyard closed by a wall with the still existing tower inside, that is the bell tower. The first stone of the new church of S. Materno, the present one, was laid on 4 November 1705 by Count Don Bartolomeo Miroli, delegated by Cardinal Taddeo dal Verme, Bishop of Ferrara, in the presence of the archpriest Don Montini. The architects were the brothers Sante and Vincenzo Santini of Ferrara. The new church was blessed and opened for worship on May 25, 1732, although incomplete, when Don Antonio Maria Leati was spiritual Vicar, who replaced Don Montini, who had died only a few days earlier. Shortly after, S. Materno Vecchio was demolished, remaining only the current church of S. Materno, as we see it today, facing south, with an inclination of 25 degrees towards the west, so that the sun is in a straight line at 13: 4O. The night from 15 to 16 July 1851 was frightening and desolating for Melara: the grandiose church dedicated to S. Materno, the most beautiful of all that existed in the transpadana area, was the prey of a fortuitous fire which, bursting out in the portico of the sacristy of the priests, it was like lightning that attacked itself and spreads along the stairs leading to the ceiling. The roof, the organ, the beautiful walnut choir, the high altar, sacred furnishings, everything was destroyed in a few hours and only the surrounding walls remained. Four years later the reconstruction began to which the citizens of Melara contributed, with not a few sacrifices.

Every Sunday in the morning it is my duty as a Christian to go to my splendid church at Mass. In the summer period unfortunately many "faithful" go on vacation and above all the children are missing. ...

It is a very large and very beautiful church, and despite the distances that must be kept, it can hold enough people.

I got married in this church and I was lucky because in 1987 there was a good priest! Then I moved to Bologna and apart from the one following mine, I think Melara hasn't had any more high priests! Now there are 2 of which one is Orthodox but I don't hear much about it. The church cmq is very beautiful and large but I fear it will be more and more empty. Sin

Church is very beautiful large and spacious with very significant depictions of saints several seats in a fairly small town