Good news for the city of Frassino, located in the upper Varetta Valley. On Friday evening, at the City Council, Mayor Roberto Elena gave an unexpected welcome message: the municipality received a donation of 700,000 euros from an immigrant to France, René Barthelemy Garnero, for the benefit of the Pharaonic community.

The will of the generous benefactor, whose family is originally from the city, is to finalize the amount of investments in the parish church of Santo Stefano and the adjacent bell tower.

From what has been learned, the interventions should aim to secure seismic integrity and to restore the sacred building which has a historical character. According to the sponsor’s intentions, the works to be donated should close by May 31, 2026.

The city council, after assessing the existence of the public interest of the municipality of Frassino, voted unanimously to accept, considering that the large amount of money would allow the restoration of a building of historical importance, in addition to the practice of worship, would be able to use it for cultural and social purposes, obviously appropriate to the place and as a point A reference to the Frasenese society, which otherwise would not have had the economic means to deal with it.

Mayor Roberto Elena comments: “The municipal administration, the Frassino community and I are very grateful to Mr. Garnero for his generosity. Possibility to intervene in the parish church as a symbol of belonging and gathering to Frassino – notice – It will not only allow the recovery of art assets of undoubted value and their integrity, but will also allow this asset to be returned to the full use of its community. Donated Amount – Explain to us again – was specifically obligated by the donor to “make interventions on the church and on the bell tower of the parish church“.

“deal with – Mayor notes – A very necessary intervention to ensure public safety and enhance its usability as a cultural asset, which, in agreement with the parish, may be the subject of guided tours and organized openings, compatible with its spiritual and religious destination. With this generous donation, it will be possible to make an intervention that would otherwise remain just a dream, in this period of economic hardship.“.

We will now move on to the notarial contract and then to the requirement of an agreement between the municipality and the parish to manage the financial resources available to the business, from the planning stage to full completion. “Skills and decisions – The mayor indicated in the council – They are entirely in the hands of the municipality“.

The management undertakes to activate a special committee who will be regularly consulted, given the building’s artistic value and societal function.

The commission will be formed by the parish priest Don Bermario Brignoni, in charge of the Dioceses of the Upper Varetta Valley, Dr. Sonia Damiano, the Diocese in charge of artistic and religious heritage, and Dino Matteodo, Giorgio Rinaudo and Gianluca Soleri, representatives of the Frassino community.

The mayor specified thatParticipation in the committee does not entail the payment of expenses or attendance fees for members“.

Elena, on behalf of the municipal administration, extends personal and administrative thanks to Bishop Cristiano Bodo, who authorized the signing of the Agreement between the Diocese of Santi Stefano and Maurizio and the Municipality of Frassino, and Dino Matteodo, who constitutes the interlocutor with the benefactor, René Barthelemy Garnero.