English
Italiano
The Church of Sant’Andrea in Barbiana is Immersed in the forests of Monte Giovi, the present church was built on a 14th century building. Inside you can admire a fresco of the circle of Giotto, the Madonna with child and Santa Caterina. The church has become particularly important for Don Lorenzo Milano, which was a priest from 1954 to 1967. Don Lorenzo Milani is buried in the cemetery adjacent to the church. During his time at Barbiana, Don Lorenzo Milani, he instituted a school to educate the kids of the peasant families. Barbiana’s school was a place where 365 days a year worked together and the main rule was that those who knew more helped and supported those who knew less. The school raised many criticisms both from the church and the secular world. Don Milani and his boys responded to the criticisms with “Lettera a una professoressa”, in which they denounced the school system and the teaching method that encouraged the education of the richest classes. In 2001, the Commune of Vicchio established the Don Lorenzo Milani Training and Research Center and Barbiana School. Since 2002, every year in May, the “March of Barbiana” has been organized.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Don Milani’s death on June 20, 2017, Pope Francis went to Barbiana to finally recognize that priesthood by the Church that Don Milani had always asked.
