In via Rividella 8, a Agordo Canal (Belluno) there is a house that tells a story. It is the story of a child who at the age of 11 left this small town in the Belluno Dolomites to follow his vocation and enter the seminary. That child’s name was Albino Luciani and was destined to become the Blessed Pope John Paul I. He was born in that house on 17 October 1912 and from 3 November the rooms in which he saw the light and grew up will be open to everyone to visit.
«We are really happy to be able to celebrate this day – he announces with joy Loris Serafinidirector of the nearby Musal – Albino Luciani Museum (www.musal.it) who also manages the house – All the faithful who come to Canale d’Agordo will now be able to see the house where Blessed John Paul I was born completedalso located in its vicinity. An important place in his life available to everyone.”
In fact, the official inauguration of Pope Lucani’s birthplace will be held on Sunday 3 November after the latest renovation works. The day’s program will start at 3.00 pm: after the official speeches, the blessing of the house will be held by His Excellency Mons. Corrado Pizziolo, Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, with the presence of His Excellency Cardinal Beniamino Stella. Followed by the unveiling of the headstone. After the ceremony, at 3.30 pm, at the archpriest church of San Giovanni Battista, there will be some readings by Blessed John Paul I and a concert by the Piccola Orchestra Veneta directed by maestro Giancarlo Nadai. Finally, a convivial moment at the Costa brewery restaurant will follow. «We owe this important appointment first and foremost to Cardinal Beniamino Stella, who was the Postulator of the Cause of Canonization of Blessed Luciani for seven years and who donated his personal savings to purchase it – underlines Serafini – and then in a special way to the Bishop of Vittorio Veneto Mons. Corrado Pizziolo, who in recent years has always supported the restoration of the building, exposing himself personally, since the Diocese of Victoria became the owner of the building.”
Purchased between 1901 and 1902 by Giovanni Luciani, the father of the future pontiff, the house in fact belonged to the Luciani family until 27 June 2019 when it was purchased by the diocese of Vittorio Veneto. «On 2 August 2019 it was opened to the public for the first time and it was Cardinal Beniamino Stella who did it», recalls the director of the Musal. Subsequent interventions therefore led to 23 April 2022 with the installation of the statue of Carlo Balljana, offered by Remo Mosole, and blessed by Cardinal Stella, honorary citizen of Canale d’Agordo.
Thanks to the renovation works, from November 3rd the faithful and pilgrims will be able to enter the rooms where little Albino Luciani lived until 1923 when, driven by his vocation, he wrote to his father to ask his consent to enter the seminary. Giovanni Luciani, who was working in France at that time, replied: “I hope that when you become a priest, you will be on the side of the poor, because Christ was on their side.” During the visit it will be possible to admire not only the room where little Albino Luciani slept together with his brother Edoardo, but also the kitchen, where he spent a lot of time in the company of his family, and the stua, the room where the wood-burning oven is located (fornèl ) and was the warmest in the house.
Right here on 17 October 1912 little Albino was born: the frail appearance of the newborn caused fear for his survival and he was therefore baptized due to imminent danger to his life by the midwife Maria Fiocco. In the following years, in this room, Albino Luciani learned his catechism on his mother’s knees and recited the rosary with his brothers.
John Paul II during his first official visit to Italy (26 August 1979) sat on the armchair near which Karol Wojtyla’s autograph dedicated to Edward is placed.
The inauguration on November 3rd is also an opportunity to thank all the people who, thanks to their interest, made this important milestone possible: «Thanks to the help of Mons. Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice, of the CEI, of Msgr. Domenico Salvador, Mr. Remo Mosole, the Municipality of Canale d’Agordo, the Papa Luciani Foundation of Canale and various other benefactors, the House was able to return to being welcoming and decorous – concludes Loris Serafini – The celebration of 3 November will be particularly dedicated to Bishop Pizziolo, but it will also be the moment to thank those who secretly take care of the building: Don Mirco Miotto, representative of the diocese of Vittoria, the architects Gloria Manera and Massimiliano Dell’Olivo, the engineer Siro Andrich, the staff of the Papa Foundation Luciani and the various volunteers who take turns taking care of the garden and the flowers, as well as all those who take care of its management in any way.” The November 3rd event is organized by the Papa Luciani Foundation of Canale d’Agordo Onlus in collaboration with the Municipality of Canale d’Agordo (Belluno), the Diocese of Vittorio Veneto (Treviso), the parish of San Giovanni Battista of Canale d ‘Agordo, the Beato Toniolo Diocesan Institute of Vittorio Veneto, the