The Church of San Michele Arcangelo began as a private chapel, adjacent to the manor house, likely built around 1570 by Vincenzo Morosini, considered the “founder” of Barbona. In 1631, as noted by the plaque embedded in the wall of the facade, the first church was built, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, erected through the efforts of Michiel Morosini (1607-1686).
To give it more prestige, Barbone Morosini (b. 1688) obtained in 1732 from Pope Clement XII the body of Saint Justin, a martyr soldier and philosopher, who lived between 100 and 165 AD, the year he was beheaded. Saint Justin is still venerated in Barbona.
The Pope, in addition to the body of Saint Justin, granted a relic of Saint Peter I Orseolo, who was the Doge of Venice from 976 to 978.
The church was demolished in 1886 by the Civil Engineering of Este to strengthen the embankment of the Adige River, to which it was adjacent, after the devastating flood of the river that had caused significant damage in 1882. In December 1886, the first stone of a new church, the current one, was blessed; this one, like the previous one, has five altars but is larger.
The church houses works by Francesco Fontebasso, Sebastiano Ricci, Migliolaro, as well as a precious organ made by the famous Gaetano Callido, from Atestino.
