An excursion to the Santo Spirito-Casere
The legend of the cross
Church are located at the end of the beautiful Ahrntal Valley, a place of pilgrimage and a source of inspiration for all those who have an interest of culture and nature enthusiasts. The Santo Spirito Church is the focal point of the town which in times of yore provided a sanctuary for travellers and a spiritual hub for the miners in Predoi’s copper mines.
A special legend about the cross in the church fittingly describes the spirit of this excursion destination – the crucifix was initially in Prastmann Hof, when a rifleman came along and wanted to test his marksmanship before a competition. Sacrilegiously, he shot at the cross and afterwards, he won the competition. His prize was a bull, which he took home with him. When the two passed the crucifix, the bull killed the rifleman – so he immediately paid for his actions. The aforementioned cross is now located in the Santo Spirito church and is said to have a special effect upon visitors.
Culture at the end of the valley: Santo Spirito Church, Casere
The Santo Spirito church is a spiritual place and a museum at the same time. The wooden statues of Saints Ursula, Kilian and Oswald and the Holy Trinity behind the tabernacle are testimony to handcrafts in South Tyrol and are free to visit, as are the frescoes, which exhibit an attention to detail and are flawlessly designed.
Santo Spirto church was mentioned for the first time in written documents dating from 1455. The majority of the pieces of art are history-charged witnesses of the various eras. There is also a cloister at the church, where, on 15 wooden columns, recounting the suffering of Jesus Christ. The surrounding parishes and Catholic youth groups designed this cloister.
Treat yourself to a journey to the end of the valley to a very special Faith Centre in the Ahrntal Valley and a cultural site which is steeped in history. A place with a stirring past awaits you, filled with legends and historical events – in the Santo Spirito Church, Casere.