Barbiana

Barbiana is a small village in the municipality of Vicchio, known worldwide for being the place of the extraordinary educational experience of Don Lorenzo Milani. Besides its natural beauty and centuries-old history, Barbiana is now a symbol of social redemption, justice, and the right to education. The parish of San Andrea in Barbiana has ancient origins, dating back to at least the 12th century when it was built as a small place of worship for the rural communities in the area. The name "Barbiana" may derive from the Latin term barbiana, linked to an ancient Roman family that owned land in this part of Mugello. For centuries, the church has been a spiritual reference point for the few inhabitants of the area, with a simple Romanesque structure and a panoramic position overlooking the surrounding woods. However, Barbiana would have remained a virtually unknown place if Don Lorenzo Milani had not arrived here in 1954. When Don Lorenzo Milani was sent to Barbiana in 1954, the parish had very few souls, mostly farmers and woodcutters. The transfer was actually a punishment: Don Milani had been removed from his pastoral work in San Donato di Calenzano, where he had developed pedagogical and social ideas deemed inconvenient for the Church and society at the time. But from this apparent marginalization arose a revolutionary experience: the School of Barbiana. Don Milani transformed the small rectory into a place of learning open to the boys from farming families, often excluded from the traditional school system. The school was free and open all day, every day of the year. Here, the students learned not only grammar, mathematics, and history, but also the value of words as a tool for emancipation and defense of the weakest. Don Milani's educational method, based on rigor, solidarity, and active participation, found its highest expression in the book "Letter to a Teacher," collectively written by his students in 1967. This text denounced the injustices of the Italian school system and became a manifesto for a fairer and more inclusive school. Besides being an educator, Don Milani was an innovator of Christian and social thought. His vision of the Church was radical: an institution that had to stand by the side of the least privileged, giving voice to those who had none. This led him to clash with the ecclesiastical and political authorities of the time but also to become a reference point for generations of teachers, priests, and activists. His message was clear: "I care." This motto, still written at the entrance of the school in Barbiana, opposed indifference and conformity, urging active engagement in society. His fight for conscientious objection, denunciation of inequalities, and his teachings have left a deep mark on Italian culture and progressive Catholicism. After his death in 1967, Barbiana became a place of secular and religious pilgrimage. Every year, thousands of people, including students, teachers, and ordinary citizens, climb up to the small church to pay homage to Don Milani and his work. The Barbiana March, held annually, is one of the most significant moments of this civil worship. Walking the paths leading to the school, participants reflect on the themes of education, justice, and memory, carrying forward Don Milani's message: "Every word you don't learn today is a kick in the rear you'll get tomorrow." Today, the school in Barbiana is a museum and a study center, managed by the Don Milani Foundation, which aims to spread his thoughts. The church and the rectory have remained simple, as in the prior's time, preserving their essential spirit. Visiting Barbiana means entering a place where the school was not just a building but a living community, and where education was an act of resistance and hope for a better future. A journey to the heart of Mugello, among the woods and silences, but above all, a journey to the heart of social commitment and the struggle for justice.

Foto