Montaner
Montaner: a small Venetian treasure to discover
Montaner is a small hamlet in the municipality of Sarmede, located in the Veneto region of Treviso province. This location has an ancient history dating back to the medieval era, when this area gave birth to the famous da Camino dynasty.
A bit of history
The da Camino family originated from Montaner, but later moved to Oderzo. Over the centuries, Montaner was under Venetian rule until the fall of the Serenissima and in the 19th century became part of the municipality of Sarmede. During the Second World War, Montaner was the scene of a partisan struggle and subsequently became famous for a religious event that caused a schism among the faithful.
The schism of Montaner
After the death of the much-loved parish priest Don Giuseppe Faè, the faithful considered the appointment of Don Antonio Botteon, chaplain and assistant to Don Giuseppe, to be a given. However, the then Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, Monsignor Albino Luciani, who would later become Pope John Paul I, appointed Don Giovanni Gava as the new parish priest.
This choice provoked a reaction from the inhabitants of Montaner. After several months of tension, the bishop arrived escorted to Montaner and physically removed the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle of the church, preventing the priests from celebrating the functions. In protest, some of the faithful founded a community of Orthodox Christianity, creating a schism that still exists today.
Monuments and places of interest
Montaner is rich in monuments and places of interest. These include religious architecture, in particular the Church of San Pancrazio and the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord and Saint Barbara.
Church of San Pancrazio
The Church of San Pancrazio is the main Catholic religious building in Montaner. Built in the second half of the 19th century, it has a Neoclassical gabled facade, enriched with four Ionic pilasters and a large tympanum. Inside there is a nave, with the altar piece "San Pancrazio among the saints Rocco and Apollonia" by Antonio Dal Favero and a fresco with "The Primacy of St. Peter," a work by Noè Bordignon. On the right side of the building stands a tall bell tower, with an open belfry and an onion-shaped termination.
Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord and Saint Barbara
The Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord and Saint Barbara is located just below the Church of San Pancrazio. Built in 1969, this building reflects the style of Orthodox churches and is still used to celebrate the Byzantine rite in Italian, Greek, Romanian, and Old Slavonic. A characteristic of this structure is the low red plastered facade, opened by a central portal with a rounded arch flanked by two pointed arch biforas.
Conclusion
Montaner is a small treasure that offers a lot to discover. This fraction of Sarmede, with its millennial history, the suggestive hilly landscape, and its places of worship, is a great destination to spend a few days in tranquillity and enjoy the beauty of the Venetian territory.
