Young Volunteers Guide Olympic Visitors Through Milan’s Hidden Sacred Treasures

Away from the bustling crowds surrounding Milan’s Duomo during the Winter Olympics, a dedicated group of young volunteers has been inviting visitors to explore the city’s lesser-known religious heritage through an initiative called “The Path of Beauty” (“La Via della Bellezza”).

The project, launched in 2020 by the archdiocese’s youth ministry office, typically offers weekend tours of Milan’s historic churches. During the Olympic Games, however, the schedule has expanded to weekdays and will continue through March 15.

“The idea is to welcome visitors inside these churches and invite them to rediscover an artistic beauty that we inherit from the past, but that still speaks today,” explained Sara Cainarca, the program’s coordinator.

Between 15 and 20 volunteers participate in the project, each specializing in one or two of the dozen Catholic sanctuaries included in the initiative. Positioned inside their assigned churches, these volunteers offer free introductions to the buildings’ history and sacred art, though they emphasize they are not certified tour guides.

During the Olympic period, the initiative has attracted visitors from numerous countries including the United States, France, Germany, and Spain. Some travelers were specifically drawn to Milan for the Games, while others were simply exploring the city beyond its famous landmarks.

Giovanna Giuditta Mazza, a 22-year-old art history student who joined the initiative two years ago, offers tours in English, French, and Italian at the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore. Dating back to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, it stands as one of Milan’s oldest churches.

“When people enter the church, they often do not know what to expect,” Mazza said. “But when they leave, I see a sparkle in their eyes and that is precious to me.”

For Mazza and fellow volunteers, these encounters provide opportunities to share their faith through art and architecture. As 22-year-old cultural heritage student Víctor Ortíz put it, “Beauty is not just about art. It is also about the Word of God.”

Ortíz frequently guides visitors through the church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro, renowned for Renaissance architect Donato Bramante’s ingenious trompe-l’oeil apse, an optical illusion created to compensate for limited physical space. During his tours, Ortíz explains how the site is connected to a 13th-century miracle in which an image of the Virgin Mary reportedly bled after being stabbed. “The growing devotion surrounding that event eventually led to the construction of the church in the 16th century,” he tells visitors.

“La Via della Bellezza” began as training sessions where university students from Lombardy explored connections between art and spirituality. The initiative eventually expanded to other cities like Brescia and Bergamo, known for their Romanesque and Baroque church architecture.

“The idea is to accompany visitors so they move from being tourists to becoming pilgrims who discover a deeper desire within themselves,” explained Cainarca, who is 26.

To enhance their expertise, volunteers meet monthly with specialists for additional training in art history and related subjects. The group also travels to nearby locations to deepen their understanding of artistic heritage and spiritual traditions. They will soon visit Ravenna, home to a series of early Christian monuments famous for their mosaics, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Despite these excursions, Cainarca considers Milan her favorite city for the project. She believes its churches are integral to the city’s identity and that its patron, Saint Ambrose, helped shape Milan’s tradition of community and collaboration.

“Today, Milan is known for fashion, shopping, finance and skyscrapers,” she reflected. “These churches offer a moment of pause, contemplation and discovery.”

In a modern metropolis increasingly defined by commerce and contemporary architecture, “The Path of Beauty” provides both visitors and locals an opportunity to connect with Milan’s rich spiritual heritage that has endured for centuries.