Posted by learnitalianfortravel  |  November 2, 2017

My grandfather, Enzo DiPietro, was born in a little town in Tuscany outside of Lucca called Bozzano. He immigrated to the United States when he was 9 years old and has been living here ever since. He met my grandmother, who is also Italian, in Luxembourg when he was a US soldier fighting in World War II.  They returned to the United States after they got married and have lived a rich and happy life with four sons and a big family here in California.  My Nonno's (Grandpa's) uncle named Pio Giannotti, (related through his mother), and who is also from Bozzano, is now in the process of being made into a saint! He was born on November 5, 1898 and died May 31, 1997.  He spent much of his life doing missionary work as a capuchin monk in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.  His sainthood is attributed to his pious work, service to the poor people of this Brazilian region and various performed miracles, including healing people of grave illnesses.  

The last time I was in Italy, my family and I visited Bozzano, and our many family members who are still living there.  We toured through the town and the local church where my Nonno and Pio both went as children, and which today holds Pio's or Padre Damiano's (his religious name), relics including his robe and his shoes.  There is a small statue of Padre Damiano in the local park of Bozzano, and in the area of Brazil where he worked, a 118 foot statue was erected and dedicated to him!  Our relatives told us stories of when Pio was a child and used to walk around the small town of Bozzano.. on his hands! I think this may be where I get the inclination to do handstands.

The following page is written in Italian:

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damiano_da_Bozzano