Torin Chapel
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Introduction
The Torin Chapel, dedicated to Notre-Dame de la Pitié, stands in a secluded and quiet location at the southern end of the municipality of Pontey, in Valle d'Aosta, a few steps from the bridge marking the border with the territory of Châtillon. Set in a low-lying rural environment, amidst small cultivated plots and thick deciduous woods, the chapel overlooks an ancient road and spiritual crossroads. The building, cosy and discreet, presents itself as a reference point for those who travel these secondary roads on foot or by bicycle, and refers to a popular devotion rooted in time. It was commissioned in 1722 by Jean-André Arbenson, a member of one of Pontey's notable families, and initially had more modest dimensions than its current conformation. Probably created with a votive function, linked to popular Marian piety, the chapel still retains an aura of recollection and intimacy, despite having gone through long periods of neglect.
Description
The building today presents a simple structure but enriched by some elements that reveal its historical and symbolic value. The plastered stone walls are marked by time and humidity, especially on the façade, where infiltrations have damaged plaster and decorations. Inside, however, an artistic apparatus of considerable interest is preserved, the result of successive interventions desired by individual worshippers or by the curia. The most fascinating feature is the altar, where the canvas depicting the Pietà is framed by classical architecture with two columns and a masonry tympanum. But what makes this element unique is its mobile character: the canvas can be removed to reveal a niche with the statue of Mary Immaculate. This dual sacred presence makes it possible to adapt the liturgical apparatus to the different anniversaries, in accordance with an uncommon but attested custom in the parish church of Pontey.
Over the centuries, the chapel has alternated between phases of neglect and renewed attention, linked to the community's financial availability or the intervention of influential families. Its decentralised location, off the main circuits, has probably contributed to this discontinuity, but has also preserved its authenticity. Today the chapel can be visited during special religious celebrations, or on the occasion of local events related to the Marian cult. It is not marked by tourist signs, but can easily be reached on foot with a short walk from Torin or from the centre of Pontey. Those who visit it, even if only by standing on the rough stone churchyard, find themselves immersed in a landscape that invites silence and contemplation, in harmony with nature and the memory of the place.