PARISH OF  S.GIOVANNI BATTISTA ALL’OLMETTA.

Mentioned in the acts of 1600 pastoral visits, it was built by Alessandro Marendis near his house and dedicated to s. Giovanni Battista, the year of establishment is unknown. Starting from the XVIII century is known safer. During the pastoral visit, made the 16 October 1702, the bishop of Bergamo, Luigi Ruzini, suspended the use until they had not been complied with certain requirements and until it was equipped with all essential furnishings. The bishop granted the pastor of Presezzo the permission of celebrate mass, only when necessary, to carry viaticum to sick people.

Besides, he decreed the complete suspension of the chapel, where, within two years, it had not been restored and had not been given a minimum of essential items. The 14 May 1716, Don Giovanni Centurelli, Brembate Sopra parish priest, came to Presezzo to visit the Olmetta oratorio on the orders of the ecclesiastical authority.

Brembate Sopra parish priest, in its report, didn’t mention the suspension of the parish. He did, however, that the bishop decree on paraments was not observed because of poverty or neglect by interested people. As has already been mentioned, the chapel owners were the Marendis, called the lords of Olmetta. Surely they had enough financial resources in order to keep it decent and above all to provide it with necessary furniture.

It is more likely that it was negligence of the owners. In later years the parish was restored; the essential items were bought, but none was concerned to revoke the suspension of the bishop Luigi Ruzini.

In June 1766, the Presezzo parish priest, Don Francesco Broli, visited the parish of Olmetta on the orders of the general bishop of the dioceses. Completed the survey, June 18, a few days of the S. Giovanni Battista festival, that even today we are celebrating, June 24, he sent to the curia a brief report:

“ Now - wrote the parish priest- in this visit I have found every disorders fixed  and I have found it with all the furniture necessary not only to the need but still as ornament and I assure you about that.”

Therefore, Don Francesco Brioli begged general bishop to “release” the chapel to celebrate mass to S. Giovanni Battista festival, “a sign of consolation to Mr. Giacomo Merendis”, the chapel owner.

The same day, from Bergamo bishopric, was sent a statement in which there was the permission to celebrate, into  Olmetta parish, “the divine sacrifice, always saves and reserved all parish rights”.