Heritage: Emarèse

The parish church, dedicated to St. Pantaleon, is not located in the village of Emarèse, but half way between the main town and the district of Erésaz; dedicated to Holy Mary, it was acknowledged in a document dating from 1176, but later annexed with that of St. Germain, located in Montjovet. The two parish churches were united in 1373 and remained as such until 1747, when the bishop Mons. Pierre François de Sales drafted a decree to separate them.
The church of St. Pantaleon already existed before the XVIII century. In fact, the first document it appeared in dates back to 1433. It was fully rebuilt between 1882 and 1883: the bell-tower was raised during this reconstruction. Two particularly precious, wooden altars are located inside: one of the Madonna with two, twisted columns dating from the end of the eighteenth century is in carved wood that is partly gilded; the other of St. Joseph from the beginning of the XVIII century, which is also carved and gilded, was restored after 1786, as they were already in bad condition. A vault above the altar of the Madonna represented two statues depicting angelic figures playing the trumpet, which were unfortunately stolen in 1975.

The church is located at the entrance to Erésaz hamlet.
The original chapel dedicated to Saint Roch was presumably built in the early years of the 18th century, because the first document mentioning it dates back to a pastoral visit of 1713.
Under the direction of surveyor Villettaz, an extension took place between 1978 and ’79, consisting in the demolition of the original presbitery and the complete rebuilding of the bell tower; the renovated church was dedicated to Saint Roch, the Holy Family and Saint Mary of the Snows. The project was realized after the will of Mrs Maria Bonis Trèves, with the contribution of the Aosta Valley Region: the woman wanted to fulfil her uncle’s dream, the Abbé Trèves, who had always desired to erect in Emarèse a sanctuary dedicated to the Holy Family.
At the end of the enlargement works, the Abbé Trèves remains were carried from the cemetery of Excenex to Erésaz, and were buried under the altar of the church.

The study center inaugurated in Émarèse in October 2012 is dedicated to one of the most eminent figures of the twentieth century in the Aosta Valley, Abbot Joseph-Marie Trèves.

Abbot Trèves, who received priestly orders in 1900, is remembered for his anti-fascist commitment, for his strong campaigns in favor of women’s participation in social life and for his fight against alcoholism and illiteracy. In 1926, together with Émile Chanoux, he founded the “Jeune Vallée d’Aoste” group, bringing together young people educated under the banner of the values ​​of democracy, freedom and autonomy.

Trèves’ thought is reconstructed through a few writings signed by him but also thanks to his rich correspondence.