It was 1924 when St. Andrew-Štandrež became a separate parish, shortly after the reconstruction of the church itself destroyed by the Great War. Just three years later, the area will administratively pass under the Municipality of Gorizia, becoming a district, but the community has always remained a peculiar presence with its own traditions. An attachment to one’s origins, in particular in the Slovenian language and culture, witnessed in last night’s celebration in Sant’Andrea Apostolo, to celebrate its hundredth anniversary.
It was he who celebrated the Eucharist Archbishop Monsignor Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli, in front of many faithful, the senator Tatjana Rojc, the secretary of state of Ljubljana Vesna Humar and the Slovenian consul Gregor Šuc, as well as the district councilor Maurizio Negro and the police commissioner Luigi Di Ruscio. The prelate himself brought some of his youthful memories, in particular of his parish of origin: «It is a parish located in the “Città Studi” district near the Polytechnic, an area which then (in the 1960s) saw a great growth in the population» . When attempts to open a new religious building failed, it was decided to expand the existing spaces.
«In the end – said the archbishop – we had managed to refurbish and enlarge the church and everyone, even us little ones, were very happy and took part in a pilgrimage to Rome to thank the Lord and to communicate our satisfaction to Pope Paul VI who knew the situation of the church well having been archbishop of Milan until a couple of years earlier”. Returning then to the reality on the banks of the Isonzo, «I am sure that he experienced a similar commitment in finding the resources for the reconstruction of the church».
According to what was reconstructed by the Concordia et Pax association, in October 1919 the then Municipality of Sant’Andrea had estimated the amount of damage suffered by the church at 190 thousand crowns. In November 1921 the roof was covered, after having obtained recognition of the war damages, and by November of the following year all the rebuilding works were completed, maintaining the same location. At the same time, there were several interventions by the Provincial Regulations and Architecture Office.
In the end, the necessary expenditure was almost 951 thousand lire. Aesthetic reasons and some scant documentary support – reported the historian Marco Pozzetto – suggest ascribing the paternity of new post-war project to Max Fabiani, in particular the play of the gables and the different shape of the bell tower. The church was then solemnly reconsecrated on 29 June 1923 by the then Prince Archbishop of Gorizia, Monsignor Francesco Borgia Sedej. This was a figure who tried to defend the Slovenian world from fascist attacks.
Returning to the homily, Monsignor Redaelli also looked at the rest of the city and the challenge of GO! 2025, «driven to continue on the path of communion and collaboration between the different languages and cultures on both sides of the border. Or it could be an opportunity to welcome those who come here and want to know our troubled history, but also our commitment to peace and reconciliation. The fact that Gorizia is and will still be a crossing point on the Balkan route will make us even more committed to welcoming people.”
He therefore underlined the commitment «in proposing a clear Christian testimony that can also lead people of other religions or those far from a faith to choose to become Christians. The aging population of Gorizia can and must push for one greater attention to the elderly, which is also testimony to a Christian hope that looks with confidence beyond death.” He then greeted the faithful in Slovenian, while at the end of the ceremony the cake dedicated to the century of life of the parish was cut by the parish priest, Don Carlo Bolčina.
Photo Sergio Marini
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