Issime Parish Church of St. James the Greater
A magnificent baroque church
The most scenic part of the church is definitely the facade, which depicts scenes from the Last Judgment, and was frescoed in the late 17th century by Francesco Biondi da Ginevra.
Starting from the top, one can see God with the Virgin, angels, and St. John the Baptist, Paradise with saints, Purgatory, and finally Hell, with empty tombs and demons dragging the damned on a boat to a fiery prison.
In the center of the main doorway, protected in a niche, is the Statue of St. James, patron saint of Issime.
The churchyard is also very impressive: in fact, it houses fifteen niches enriched by frescoes by Antonio Facio of Valprato, representing the mysteries of the Rosary.
This is the place where the faithful were blessed with holy water before they could enter the church.
Inside is an imposing Baroque-style high altar adorned with 182 gilded wooden statues, among the most valuable in the Aosta Valley.
At the back of the church is a museum of sacred art, with statues, silverware and some objects dating back to the 15th century.
An itinerary to follow for all lovers of theology
Parish Church of St. James the Greater The History
The parish church of St. James the Greater has a very ancient history: a bull issued by Pope Lucius in 1184 not only confirmed its existence but called it "very old."
In the 12th century Issime gained autonomy from Perloz-which up to that time included the entire Vallaise community-and became the only parish in the upper Lys Valley, expanding its control also over the municipalities of Gaby, Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinité until 1660, when some of these parishes began to become independent.
The present building was rebuilt in 1683 on an existing church, but some features of the old church were left, such as the arch in the left aisle, which represented the base of the bell tower, and the Romanesque baptismal font.
The Vallaise castle in Arnad contains the only fresco depicting the church in its ancient appearance.
