Earlier this week, a group of the seminarians studying in Verbania took one final taste of the local area as we headed on a day trip to Arona, our last Italian-only excursion before returning to Rome. In Arona, we saw the famous statue of Saint Charles Borroemo, as well as the cittavechia, the old city, which was nice to stroll through. I’ll share one picture with you.
It’s a 17th c. fresco inside the small chapel of Cappella Ossario Beolchi. The painting is very catechetical. On the outside of the painting is an iron grill with skeletons, reminding us that none of us can escape death. On the inside is a painting depicting souls being lifted out of purgatory and guided towards heaven by the angels.
This is an illustration of the communion of saints, where know that it is only by God’s mercy and the prayers of the faithful on earth that souls in purgatory can enter paradise. The painting demonstrates that the most efficacious form of intercession is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is going on in the background. When we pray for the holy souls in purgatory, we participate in the communion of saints, and we can be certain of those holy souls’ prayers for us when they see God face to face! How great will our joy be when we meet them in Heaven!
So, remember what your grandmother told you, and next time be sure to ‘offer it up for the holy souls in purgatory!’
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Now, back to St. Charles, who was born in Arona in 1538, and has a huge following in Northern Italy. He was made a cardinal at the age of 21 by his uncle, (who had been elected Pope Pius IV; the Church operates a bit differently today,) and worked to bring a close to the Council of Trent.
He became Archbishop of Milan, one of the most important sees in Italy at the age of 26. He worked tirelessly for the people in the diocese, and travelled all around visiting average people, something that unfortunately was not so common in those days, and so the people loved him. He implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent diligently throughout his diocese. Seeing the importance of a well-formed clergy, especially after the Protestant Reformation, he founded numerous seminaries and issued a catechism.
St. Charles also initiated reform in politics and in the hierarchy of the Church, which was not taken well by the nobility and even caused threats on his life. He was not liked abroad in Protestant countries because of his strong defense of the Catholic Faith. That is why in England, for example, there are many famous satirical images of him.
St. Charles was renowned for his charity and love of the poor, even giving the decorations, curtains, and furniture of the archbishop’s palaces away to the poor. He thrived on prayer, sacrifice and penance, and worked tirelessly for the salvation of the people entrusted him. To combat the heresies of his day he constructed several Sacri Monti – that is, ‘Sacred Mountains,’ on which was built a shrine. These places of pilgrimage for the faithful reminded them of their roots and bolstered their faith. Matthew posted about the Sacre Monte D’Orta previously.
St. Charles died in 1584 at the age of 46; he was a model of pastoral zeal, prayer, and charity.
The famous statue of St. Charles Borromeo was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, and construction began in 1614 and was completed in 1698. At 35.10 m (115) it is the second largest bronze standing statue in the world (after only the Statue of Liberty, whose architects used it as a model for Lady Liberty).
St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!