The cross was erected in memory of the violent death of Cristoforo Casa, a resident of the hamlet of Oga in Valdisotto, which occurred in 1517 at the hands of the Grisons. They tied him to the tail of a horse and dragged him through the village, causing his death by strangulation at the point where the cross now stands. The episode, whose historical accuracy is uncertain, occurred during a highly complex period when Italy was dominated by various powers vying for control over territories to impose their sovereignty.
In this geopolitical landscape, the Valtellina was a crucial region due to its strategic mountain passes, contested by the Duchy of Milan, the King of France, and the Three Leagues. Adding further violence to an already tense atmosphere was the rapid spread of the Protestant Reformation, which had fatal consequences in the Valtellina due to its proximity to reformist regions and the crucial role of its passes in European transit.
In 1512, the Valtellina, along with the County of Chiavenna and the County of Bormio, territories of the Duchy of Milan, were occupied and later annexed by the Grisons. Although Luther’s theses officially date to 1517, his preaching had begun much earlier, and discontent with ecclesiastical practices had been brewing for some time. In October 1517, the Lutheran Reformation officially began, but it is challenging to place this individual episode within the context of well-documented events. Military occupations are always characterized by unstable relations with the population, exacerbated in this case by the religious conflict that ignited over deeply rooted traditions that stubbornly persisted in Oga more than elsewhere over the centuries.
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