San Fedelino Church on Lake Mezzola

At the northern end of Lake Mezzola, near the mouth of the Mera River and at the foot of Mount Berlinghera, stands this tiny Romanesque church, one of the oldest and most evocative in Lombardy. It can be reached on foot from Casenda in Samolaco or by boat from Novate Mezzola. Its secluded location protected San Fedelino throughout the centuries. It never became a major sanctuary and therefore retained its original structure, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into the spirituality of the first millennium.

Its origins are linked to Saint Fidelis, a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity. According to tradition, in 284 AD he fled Milan to escape the persecutions of Emperor Maximian. After a long journey, he reached these shores hoping to find safety but was captured by his pursuers and beheaded for refusing to renounce his faith. A first oratory was built over his burial site, later disappearing over time. In 964, following a vision that revealed the location of the relics, the Bishop of Como commissioned the construction of the church that still stands today.

The building is extremely small, consisting of a square nave and a small apse overlooking the river. Its local stone walls, blind arches and piòte stone roof reflect the origins of Alpine Romanesque architecture. Inside, despite damage caused by humidity and periods of abandonment, a remarkable fresco of Christ Pantocrator surrounded by angels and apostles survives, a reminder of a time when the entire church was decorated with colourful paintings.

Over the centuries, the church also experienced difficult periods, serving as a fortification, an animal shelter and even a storage facility. Restoration works began only during the twentieth century, culminating in more recent interventions that restored its dignity and beauty.

Today, immersed in an extraordinary natural setting, San Fedelino continues to tell its thousand-year story. A small treasure of art and spirituality that, quietly overlooking the Mera River, prepares to enter its second millennium.