Luigi Guanella was born in Fraciscio di Campodolcino (Sondrio) on the 19th of December 1842, the ninth of thirteen brothers and who grew up in a devout and religious family. From an early age he felt a strong vocation for the priestly life, so at the age of twelve he was sent to the Gallium College of Como to deepen his religious studies. Ordained a priest in 1866 he carried out his first ministry at the parish church of Prosto in Valchiavenna, he was parish priest in Val Bregaglia from 1867 to 1875 where he met Don Bosco and at the end of the Salesian three-year period he returned to the parish church of Traona in Valtellina from 1878 to 1881.
In November 1881 he became parish priest of the church of Pianello del Lario, continuing the work that Don Carlo Coppini had started, taking over the Hospice of the village and with the help of a group of Ursuline nuns, founded in 1886 the House of Divine Providence of Como. Don Luigi reorganised the community of nuns by creating a new religious women’s institute called ‘The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence’ and years later he also started one for men with the name ‘Servants of Charity’. The members of these institutes called 'Guanelliani' are still dedicated to works of mercy in favour of the psychophysically disabled, the elderly and children.
After the positive experience of the House of Divine Providence of Como, Don Luigi founded halfway houses and hospices in Lombardy, Veneto, Switzerland and the Americas. Arriving in Rome in 1903 he started the House of St. Joseph and the House Pius X at the Basilica of San Pancrizio. In the course of his ecclesiastical mission he got to know three Popes, he met Pope Leo XIII in Rome in 1888 and in 1893, Pius X the one with whom he worked most closely, Pope Benedict XV when he learned of his death said: today a Saint has died. Don Luigi died on October 24th 1915 and was proclaimed Blessed in 1964 by Pope Paul VI and Saint by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. The day of the liturgical feast is on the 24th of October.
Hike Sasso di Musso
Musso is a town rich with history: in the thirteenth century the area was the feud of Malacrida family, allies to the Duchy of Milan. In 1522, Gian Giacomo Medici, called the Medeghino, stormed the castle and enlarged the fortifications.
Musso
Dried Shad (Agone), called Missoltini or Missultin, were at one time a precious food for inhabitants of Lake Como, the particular processing allowed them to be conserved for more than a year, excellent traditional Lake Como cuisine.
Lario Cuisine
Menaggio's particularly mild climate, ventilated by two winds known as Breva and Tivano, and its optimal sunny position allows for a surprising flora along the lake shore. Its supply of receptive and sporting facilities is excellent.
Menaggio