The small town of Toceno, in the Vigezzo Valley, was the site of major demographic and urban growth, so much so that it required the establishment of an autonomous parish.
Initially the main place of worship in the centre of Vigezzo was the Oratory of Sant’Antonio da Padova, but soon it was necessary to build the Parish Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, built in 1600 in the central village square.
The building was involved in major extension works until 1806 and was only consecrated in 1824.
Inside, the church is neoclassical in style, the frescoes on the walls of the presbytery are the work of Vigezzo painter Lorenzo Peretti and depict la Nascita di Gesù (the Birth of Jesus) and l’Adorazione dei Magi (the Adoration of the Three Wise Men).
The Church of Sant’Antonio Abate is flanked by a massive bell tower surmounted by the coat of arms of Toceno, engraved with the date 1607, the year in which the bell tower was built.
On 17th January, the feast of the patron saint, each year Toceno relives an ancient tradition associated with worshipping Sant’Antonio Abate, patron saint of domestic animals. Breeders and shepherds of the Vigezzo Valley join the procession in front of the church for the blessing of their animals before the beginning of the long season in the mountain pastures.
Info: www.circuitodeisanti.it