THE MOST IMPORTANT SPOTS
OF SAINT ANGELA MERICI'S LIFE
Tourist and religious guide
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life – 1
VIA CASTELLO - THE SAINT’S BIRTHPLACE
Via Castello is one of the oldest streets in Desenzano. Today it connects two important
neighbourhoods: the higher Capolaterra quarter and the lower historical centre. The Castle, with its
buttress, rises between these two town quarters. A memorial tablet of Angela Merici’s birth, which
took place in the building facing it - to be exact, in the north-west room on the first floor of No. 96
(which used to be No. 333) - is here. Angela Merici was born in this spot, round about the year
1474. Her parents were Giovanni Merici and Caterina de’ Bianchi of Salò.
In those days the town centre was known as one of the most important and noteworthy in the Salò
and Desenzano Riviera.
The houses have recently been restored in such a way as to bring to light the Desenzano of the
16th, 17th and 18th centuries; this can also be seen and appreciated in the shop windows and
inside the shops themselves.
Itinerary:
Go down Via Castello in the direction of Piazza Malvezzi and keep left for spot No. 2 (The Cathedral).
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life – 2
THE CATHEDRAL, THE ALTAR, THE PAINTINGS, THE RELICS
On entering the side door of the Cathedral (late Renaissance 1506 – 1611), immediately on the
left, above the altar, the altarpiece by the brothers Cignaroli – Veronese painters of the 18th
Century - can be admired.
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The painting shows Angela Merici with Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Luigi Gonzaga. Angela
was beatified by the Church on the 30th April 1768.
In the opposite nave is the chapel that was erected in 1874 in occasion of the 4th centenary of
Angela Merici’s birth.
It is of a composite style, typical of that 19th Century architecture which hadn’t yet found its own
features and which does not blend in with the classical lines of the rest of the building. It was
blessed by the Bishop of Verona in 1884.
The altarpiece, by Alberto Franchini, is signed and dated 1990; it shows the Saint protecting the
town of Desenzano.
The older altarpiece, dated 1882, which shows Saint Angela wearing the habit of the cloister
Ursulines of Blois, can be found in the vestry. Beneath the altarpiece, the shrine with the Saint’s
relics, which constitute her physical presence in her town.
Around the sides of the chapel are six paintings dated 1834, by Pietro Rizieri Calcinardi, dedicated
to the life of Angela: The family of the Blessed Soul, The return of the Saint from the Holy Land,
Angela at Duke Francesco Sforza’s, The vision in Brodazzo, Angela an audience with Pope
Clement VII, Her death.
On the sides of the altar, two coloured stained glass windows, showing Angela preoccupied with
her family’s problems and Angela praying.
To the left of the Cathedral’s central altar is the vestry in which there are two images of the
«Blessed Soul».
One, the wonderful painting by Palma the Young, representing the Pietà; the figures of Magdalene
and the blessed Angela Merici, dated 1610, are worth admiring.
The other, a photo that reminds us of the painting of Angela done by Moretto in Brescia in 1540,
whilst awaiting the burial of the Desenzano «Saint».
Itinerary:
Leave the cathedral by the side door and continue along the porticoes. About halfway down, on the left, in
the middle of Piazza Malvezzi, is the statue, spot No. 3 (The Statue).
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life – 3
THE STATUE
Backing on to Desenzano’s main square, Piazza Malvezzi, are the porticoes, overlooked by the old
Town Hall; facing it, the local council building (today known as Palazzo Todeschini), built by the
same Todeschini (16th Century) who drew up the plans for the Cathedral and who gave the town
centre a definitive urban convergence.
The statue of Angela Merici is made of white Botticino marble, carved by the Brescian sculptor
Antonio Callegari (1698 – 1775).
The Saint is not in a humble act of religious concentration but rather depicted in a vigorous gesture
of devotion to supreme Will: her face is turned up to the sky, her right hand on her chest and her
left hand clutching the pilgrim’s staff.
The square finishes where the old port starts, which takes us back to the times of our Saint Angela.
The people of Desenzano erected the monument to their great Fellow Citizen in this square, in
1782.
In the memorial epigraph they proudly used the word «fellow citizens», rather than the word
«faithful» or «devout», as one might have expected, since the statue was actually erected in
memory of happenings concerning the history of the Church.
Saint Angela Merici was proclaimed the principal patron of Desenzano, by a Papal decree of the
Sacred Congregation of Rites on the 29th January 1962; being able to claim that Angela was born
here is a great honour for the town of Desenzano.
Itinerary:
Facing the porticoes, continue to the left, crossing Via Papa, Piazza Matteotti and Via Santa Maria, to spot
No. 4 (The Convent of the Ursuline sisters).
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The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life - 4
VIA SANTA MARIA - THE CONVENT OF THE URSULINE SISTERS
As far as we know, the followers of Saint Angela in Desenzano started their apostolic activities in a
modest house in Via Castello, No. 340.
Later on, near today’s oratory (Paul VI), a church said to be of St. Ursula (later dedicated to St.
Luigi) became their second centre, larger and more suitable for their specific needs. And so a new
type of activity started for them; taking in girls to be educated with love, wisdom and intelligence.
The Chronicles register the first names of the members: Villio, Rambotti. And together with
Monsignor Giovanni Bragadino (later the patriarch of Venice) in 1756 they asked if they could
accept applicants.
The architect Pietro Rizieri Calcinardi, who was born in Desenzano in 1801 and died there in 1894,
worked for the church of the Ursuline Sisters in Via Santa Maria in 1841.
The convent was very active and for many years held various secondary school, bookkeeping and
high-school courses and provided board and lodging for the girls. Since 1984 the cooperative
society of the «Angela Merici» parents has been running an officially recognised elementary school
and today also a nursery school, both of Christian inspiration.
Itinerary:
Perpendicular to Via Santa Maria is Vicolo Teatro; continue down to the lake and follow the signs: the bicycle
path starts here for spot No. 5 (The place where Saint Angela lived, in «Le Grezze»). If by car, follow the
indications for Via Mezzocolle.
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life - 5
THE PLACE WHERE SAINT ANGELA LIVED IN "LE GREZZE"
After leaving their home in Via Castello, the Merici family moved to a house in a place called «Le
Grezze». The house which now stands there no longer corresponds to the Merici family house,
with the exception of the portion on the left, where there is a kitchen and another room and where
you can see some of the structure of the old house. The part on the right was, for thirteen years,
the seat of today’s parish of Saint Angela Merici. The original structure of the house has been
changed over the years but the place is the same.
In the evenings, after finishing work in the fields, the whole family got together here and father
Giovanni used to read aloud to his children about the lives of the Saints. This was to have great
significance and importance for Angela’s future. It is thanks to these readings that the prospect of
experiencing life, like the Saints, full of fervid and strong faith came to light in her mind while she
was still a young girl.
Of those first years of Angela, we can be sure of what she herself confided: an early attraction for
contemplative, sober and spiritual life; the search for favourable conditions for praying and
meditation; spirit and the exercise of penitence. All this was interpreted and expressed as it could
be done by a precociously intelligent and very sensitive little girl. It is not known how much her
siblings joined her in her games and prayers and neither how much she was involved in her
siblings’ work and play, nor what role she assumed inside the home. It is said that various
misfortunes, over a brief period, soon destroyed the Merici family. Angela’s sister, mother and
father all died, even if we do not know in which order. Angela, perhaps with her younger brother,
then moved for a while to Salò, to her maternal aunt and uncle’s.
Itinerary:
Follow the signs for Centenaro; the little church appears after the fly-over bridge on the left, spot No. 6 (The
little Church in "Machetto").
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life - 6
THE LITTLE CHURCH IN "MACHETTO"
Folklore speaks of a vision Angela had in a place called Machetto, where a little church dedicated
to San Francesco Saverio still stands today (built in 1684).
It is not far from «Le Grezze» where a large part of the Merici children’s life had been spent, amidst
the meadows and fields, which later became the property of the Counts of Villio.
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The Count of Villio had a private chapel erected in Machetto, on the road to Centenaro and
Vaccarolo.
The chapel arose in the place where the Saint from Desenzano had a vision, apart from the more
famous one she had in Brodazzo: a vision of her dead sister who, surrounded by an array of
angels, was joyful and triumphant. Angela had prayed so much for her sister.
Itinerary:
Go back down along the road. At the traffic lights turn left for spot No. 7 (The Church of Saint Angela in "Le
Grezze").
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life - 7
THE CHURCH OF SAINT ANGELA MERICI IN "LE GREZZE"
The Parish Church of Saint Angela Merici in Desenzano was officially consecrated by the Church
on the 27th January 1975, the Saint’s day, by the Bishop of Verona, Monsignor Giuseppe Carraro.
It was dedicated to the Saint for various reasons: she had lived in a house in this Parish, the little
Church of Machetto is here and maybe also because of the notable contribution made by the
religious and secular Ursulines - «daughters of Saint Angela» - of Italy and the whole world.
On the 27th January 1985, on the 450th anniversary of the establishment of the Saint Angela
institution, Monsignor Giuseppe Amari, then Bishop of Verona, solemnly blessed the first stone of
the new Church in «Le Grezze». The new Church is impressive for its hospitable and agreeable
structure.
After entering the church through its main door, on the left, set into the wall, there is an altarpiece
painted by Andrea Celesti in 1686. It was commissioned by the Villio Counts and shows the
Madonna of the Carmine, St. Francesco Saverio and the «Blessed Angela». This painting used to
be preserved in the little Church of Machetto.
There is a wooden statue showing Angela as a young girl in peasant dress inside the new Church.
It was conceived by the architect Benedetto Pietrogrande of Milan and carved by Peter Kostner of
Ortisei (Bolzano). The coloured stained glass window behind the statue creates an image of her
visions’ light and gives the impression of a halo surrounding young Angela.
Itinerary:
With your back to the church continue right, following the signs for spot No. 8 (The "Mericianum").
The most important spots of Saint Angela Merici's life - 8
THE "MERICIANUM": PLACE OF SPIRITUALITY - THE VISION OF THE "STEPS"
The building, built and blessed in 1965 by the Bishop of Verona, Monsignor Giuseppe Carraro, was
constructed with loving faith so that there would be a point of reference for exercises, retreats and
spiritual activities in the spot where the Brodazzo vision took place.
The first to give us news of the so-called vision of the «steps» is Father Francesco Landini,
confessor of the Virgins of the «St. Ursula Society of Brescia», in a letter dated 1566.
The background is the countryside at reaping time. It is siesta time, that is, about sidereal midday.
During the summer, Mass was celebrated at the first crack of dawn. At day break the peasants
were already at work in the fields. At around 16-17 o’clock, that is at sidereal 10-11 o’clock, when
the sun was already high and the workers could already feel the effects of their hard work, they
had lunch and then a rest. Then work started again and before the Ave Maria, when the sun went
down, they had to return home. During the siesta, Angela had distanced herself a little to pray and
it seemed to her that the skies opened and a procession of Angels and Virgins descended and in
this vision she was told that she had been chosen to found a Society of the Virgins, which she did
do.
On the 25th of November 1535 she officially started the «Society of Saint Ursula» in Brescia; it was
the first institution of consecrated and contemplative life and intent on acting in direct contact with
the world.
Itinerary:
Going back down the same road, you return to the centre of Desenzano.
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