Aloisius Variara

Aloisius Variara SDB , Italian Luigi Variara, Spanish Luis Variara (born January 15, 1875 in Viarigi , Asti , Italy , † February 1, 1923 in Cúcuta , Colombia ) was a Salesian of Don Bosco and a missionary in Colombia. He was beatified on April 14, 2002 by Pope John Paul II .

When he entered Don Bosco's oratorio in Turin in 1887 at the age of twelve , he got to know Don Bosco himself, who died a year later. It is reported that Don Bosco looked the boy in the eye for a long time and then prophesied a Salesian calling in mission. In fact, Aloisius Variara entered the novitiate in 1891, and a little later placed his vows in the hands of the then Superior General Michael Rua . After his novitiate, he studied philosophy at the orden own branch Valsalice . There he met Brother Michael Unia , a Salesian apostle for the lepers in Colombia, who spoke with him about the mission in Colombia. Soon afterwards he volunteered for the mission, went to Agua de Dios in Colombia with the returning Michael Unia in 1894 and thus became an apostle himself for the lepers in Colombia. He tried to share his passion for music and theater with them. When Unia died a little later, Variara and three other priests stayed in the leper colony .

In 1898 he was ordained a priest. As such, he also dedicated his life to lepers. His main goal was to build a leprosarium for young patients. He succeeded in realizing it in 1905 with the opening of the Michael Unia Youth Hostel. In the same year, on May 7th, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary to support him in his work with young people suffering from leprosy. A great challenge was his transfer from Agua de Dios to Venezuela , which separated him from the congregation he founded. He was transferred frequently over the next 18 years. The time was marked by many misunderstandings. In 1921 he was last sent to Táriba . During the whole time he kept in contact with mother Lozano, the co-founder of the institute.

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personal data
SURNAME	Variara, Aloisius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Variara, Aloisius SDB
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Salesians and Missionaries
DATE OF BIRTH	January 15, 1875
PLACE OF BIRTH	Viarigi , Asti, Italy
DATE OF DEATH	February 1, 1923
Place of death	Cúcuta , Colombia