by Astrid Garino

"Andare in colonia" conjures up memories of youth for many generations of older Italians.   

The tradition builds on the practice of heliotherapy, a treatment known since the ancient Greeks and Romans, which utilizes the therapeutic effect of prolonged exposure to sunlight to treat illnesses such as osseous tuberculosis and vitamin D deficiency (rickets). 

By the early XX century, sunlight was thought to have antimicrobial activity, to increase the number of red and white blood cells, to improve diuresis, and to have a stimulating effect on the nervous system. The increased pigmentation of the skin triggered by exposure to the sun was also thought to increase the body's overall immune defenses (ref. Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani, 1932). 

In the mid-1800s, the medical community recognized the dire consequences of industrialization on the health of inner-city factory workers, particularly on children's health. In Italy, the idea of heliotherapy centers for children was introduced by a Florentine physician, Giuseppe Barellai (1813-1884), and the first centers were opened in the mid-1800s in both mountain and seaside resort areas. Heliotherapy camps offered children of working-class families the opportunity to spend several weeks during the summer in a healthier environment.

WWI worsened the already precarious health conditions of Italians, particularly those living in poor neighborhoods in industrial cities of the Center-North. By the early 1900s, Italy had several "Sea Bathing Infirmaries" for the treatment and convalescence of children affected by tuberculosis and rickets. 

Italian Fascism in the 1920s and '30s expanded and transformed heliotherapy camps into organized Youth Centers. These centers functioned as health and activity camps for children ages 6 to 16. They were places where children could live, learn and play in a healthy environment and receive three meals a day. In addition to receiving appropriate medical care and prevention therapies, the children were indoctrinated into the Fascist way of life.

The daily activities in the colonie were strictly regulated. They included early wake-up calls, followed by personal grooming, room cleaning, marches, flag-honoring sessions, political educational activities, meals, physical exercise, games and prayers. Central to the daily activities were the "treatments," which consisted of immersion in seawater, lying on a mat in the sun, or simply running around outdoors. Children would typically stay at the camp for a minimum of 30 days and participate in gender-specific activities. 

They were supervised by Signorine Vigilatrici, young women members of the Fascist party, who acted as educators, lifeguards and temporary mothers. Italian was the official language: this was done on purpose to teach children Italian, since many of them spoke a dialect at home. All children were provided with a uniform and a set of regular clothes.

As the popularity of the colonie estive grew, there was a need for larger buildings that could host hundreds of children at the same time; this gave rise to the construction of massive buildings designed by the best architects of the time, in the Futurist style. 

According to official sources, in 1935, there were more than 3,000 colonies primarily along the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Coasts, as well as in the Alps. By 1939, over 800,000 children attended summer camps.

With the fall of Fascism and the economic crisis of the immediate post-WWII period, summer colonies reduced their activities, but in the 1950s and 1960s, they became popular again, lost their militaristic imprint and became recreational summer camps for children of lower-middle-class families. Big companies, such as Eni, Agip, Fiat and Olivetti sponsored stays for the children of their employees during the summer months.

The popularity of these camps declined again in the 1970s, as the income of working-class families increased and parents and children were able to vacation together.

Over the years, many of the grandiose Futurist-style buildings constructed in the 1930s to host summer colonies were abandoned. More recently, there has been a renewed interest in these beautiful buildings, and some have been repurposed into hotels, offices or wellness centers for adults and sports camps for youths.

About the author:

Astrid Garino is a longtime member of the ICC and currently serves as President of its Board of Directors. Born in Turin, she is a physician who earned her MD from the University of Turin and moved to the United States in 1992 to continue her training. She currently lives and works between St. Paul, MN and Turin, Italy. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.

by Gianluigi Veglia 

When the Camerlengo, the Cardinal responsible for finances and treasures, announced that a new Pope had been chosen, no one anticipated that the Conclave would elect a White Sox fan. Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost) makes history as the first North American to  be elected as Peter’s successor, tasked with guiding the Catholic Church through these challenging times. Robert Prevost was born in Chicago to parents with French and Italian roots. He spent nearly twenty years in Peru as a missionary before making his way to the Eternal City.

In Rome, there’s a saying: “Morto un Papa, se ne fa un altro” (when a Pope dies, another one takes his place), signifying that everyone, even the Pope, can be replaced. However, finding someone to succeed Pope Francis in the hearts of Roman Catholics will be no easy feat. Francis embodied the spirit of the “il poverello di Assisi” (the little poor man of Assisi, St. Francis). He chose to reside in St. Martha, a simple guesthouse in the Vatican City away from the apartments painted by Raffaello Sanzio, maintaining direct contact with the Vatican’s staff and priests. His attire was humble, as he consciously rejected the paraments of his predecessors. 

Pope Francis (2013-2025), born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the first Jesuit to be elected to the papacy. His pastoral approach emphasizes missionary work, education, and a commitment to serving marginalized populations. As his father emigrated from Italy to Argentina in 1929, Pope Francis cultivated strong ties to Italy. Throughout his papacy, he demonstrated a marked dedication to social justice, exemplified by his initiatives to embrace individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. Pope Francis extended the Church's pastoral care by welcoming divorced and remarried individuals to participate in Communion, a stance underscored by his famous declaration, “Who am I to judge?” He undertook substantial reforms aimed at enhancing the transparency and accountability of the Vatican's financial operations and implemented rigorous measures to address and combat the scandals that have plagued the Church, seeking to restore trust and integrity within the institution.

What will be the pastoral mission of Pope Leo XIV, and what challenges will he confront in his papacy? To understand this, it is essential to consider the rationale behind the selection of Robert Prevost as the successor to Leo XIII. 

Leo XIII (1878-1903) was renowned for his encyclical Rerum Novarum, a seminal document addressing social justice and labor conditions, and underscoring labor as a fundamental human right. This principle is echoed in the first three articles of the Italian Constitution, which reflect the integral role of social justice in contemporary society.

Pope Leo XIV, as an Augustinian brother, espouses the values of reconciliation and peace, emphasizing community life and obedience. In assuming the papacy, he faces formidable challenges, particularly in the context of a world plagued by over 50 ongoing armed conflicts. His inaugural address from St. Peter's Basilica, proclaiming "La Pace sia con voi" (Peace be with you), highlights the urgency of the global situation, which cannot be resolved swiftly. Moreover, Pope Leo XIV steps into a critical moment in U.S. history, characterized by deep societal divisions. The political landscape is increasingly polarized, with both radical factions of the Democratic and Republican parties holding sway. 

In this context, Pope Leo XIV has a unique opportunity to engage directly with the American people and their leaders. He is committed to positioning the Vatican as a worldwide mediator in global crisis. Fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, he can communicate seamlessly with world leaders, minimizing the risk of misunderstandings. 

Additionally, Pope Leo XIV shares cultural and familial roots with Pope Bergoglio – both leaders can trace their ancestry to Piedmont, a region in northern Italy known for its strong traditional values and industrious spirit. Pope Leo XIV's grandfather was born in Ivrea, while Pope Francis's father came from Turin. The people of Piedmont take great pride in their heritage, which may shape Pope Leo XIV's papal mission and his efforts to address the pressing issues of our time.

About the author:

Gianluigi Veglia was born in Formia (Latina, Italy). He achieved a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Rome 'La Sapienza', and after a postdoctoral internship at the University of Pennsylvania, he joined the University of Minnesota. He is also one of the early members of ICC. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Carolyn and three kids, Matteo, Elisa and Gianmarco. In his spare time he loves to cook, play tennis and spend time with his family.

by Gianluigi Veglia

“We left Suio on November 23, 1943. As the pressure from the Allied troops on the Gustav Line intensified, the Nazi army became increasingly hostile toward civilians. My family was scared and hungry. My father, Luigi, had been captured and incarcerated in Gaeta, awaiting deportation to Germany. My grandfather, Pietro, my mother, Peppinella, and four of her seven children (including me) jumped onto a truck heading toward Ferentino, where a train awaited us, the ‘sfollati’, heading north to Veneto. My other brothers fled to the mountains to evade capture by the Nazis.

My aunt Giulia and her two children, 2-month-old Pietro and 9-year-old Mimino, joined us on that journey. During the trip, my aunt and little Pietro became gravely ill due to the poor sanitary conditions on the train. They were admitted to a local hospital, where both sadly passed away, as we later learned. Mimino stayed with our family and became our new sibling. 

Our journey ended in Chiuppano, a small village near Vicenza, populated by farmers and artisans. I remember my grandfather, Pietro, touring the local farms every morning, begging for bread and cheese. He didn’t speak the northern dialect and struggled to communicate with the locals. I, however, picked up the language quickly and became his official interpreter. Thanks to my language skills, I met a local boy whose brother was a true partisan hiding in the mountains from the Fascists and Nazis. His mission was to ambush and attack Nazi battalions with grenades and disrupt their communications with other Nazi brigades. I don’t recall much from those endless months except for the piercing cold and constant hunger. We lived in two small rooms with about 20 people each, but we helped each other survive. 

I vividly remember that day, April 25, 1945, when we learned that the partisans and the Allies had joined forces against the Nazis and Fascists. My northern friend told me that his brother was finally coming back as the “dirty Nazis would be kicked out of Italy!” Shortly after, we were thrilled to learn that my father, Luigi, was safe. He had escaped from the prison in Gaeta and was back in Suio, waiting for us. In September 1945, we all boarded that train heading south, finally reuniting with my siblings and my father. I remember Suio being nothing but rubble, dust, debris, bombshells and spent machine gun ammunition. But we had each other and the hope to start anew.”

by Michele Guala

Novecento was born as a collaboration between Italian writer Alessandro Baricco and play director Gabriele Vacis. It is a monologue performed by Eugenio Allegri, a short book published by Feltrinelli, and then a movie directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, with Tim Roth and the beautiful music of Ennio Morricone. It is the story of a pianist born and living on the very same steamship as those navigating the Atlantic Ocean in the 20s and 30s, bringing Italian, Polish, and Irish immigrants to the United States; a steamship like the Titanic, the Rex beautifully imaged by Fellini in "Amarcord," or the Andrea Doria, built in Genova, where I was born, and decorated with oil paintings by my grand grandfather Camillo Marchi (1883–1966).