Exhibition promoted by the Giuseppe Toniolo Institute, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart  and the Region of Lombardy

Determined and indefatigable, Armida Barelli, proclaimed Blessed on 30 April in Milan Cathedral, marked the first half of the 20th century with her will to strengthen the faith and the Catholic presence throughout the peninsula, promoting lay initiatives without distinction of class, and making a fundamental contribution to the emancipation of women.

To this extraordinary protagonist of the birth of Milan’s Catholic University, the Giuseppe Toniolo Institute (the founding body of the University) has dedicated an exhibition, perfect for illustrating the life of Armida Barelli to young people in an engaging and immediate way, from her childhood to her death: through texts, period photographs and illustrations. It recounts the fundamental stages in the story of Armida, a figure who can fascinate the new generations for her determination and resourcefulness, the result of a strong spirituality and full adhesion to the Gospel message. 

At the end of the exhibition, the final poster presents a useful chronological overview that connects Armida’s work with the most important events that marked our country in the field of politics and the struggles for women’s emancipation.

The exhibition is based on the graphic novel “Armida Barelli. Nothing would have been possible without her”, conceived and curated by Tiziana Ferrario, with scripts and illustrations by Giancarlo Ascari and Pia Valentinis for Franco Cosimo Panini Editore and with the historical advice of Aldo Carera and Ernesto Preziosi. With the strength and immediacy of images, the graphic novel tells the story of Armida’s life and her extraordinary encounters with other protagonists of Italian Catholicism, her leadership skills and educational passion, in the frame of more than half a century of Italian history. The graphic novel is an initiative of the Giuseppe Toniolo Institute in collaboration with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. 

For more information email: pr.toniolo@istitutotoniolo.it