It is the traditional annual event in which Milan, in the great Ambrosian Pantheon, pays homage to and honours some of its most illustrious citizens, Milanese by birth or adoption who with their work, their commitment to society, their example have made a unique contribution to the civil, moral and material growth of the city and Italy. The Famedio, a name deriving from the Latin famae aedes, or "temple of fame", cam about for this reason: to preserve and pass on the memory of Milan admired and appreciated around the world for its ability to innovate, to create beauty, to express civil commitment.
But the greatness of a city comes from the name and personal history of those who built it, and that is what the men and women remembered in the Famedio represent for Milan. In the temple of Famedio this year the name of Fr Luigi Melesi, a Salesian priest, born in Cortenova, in Valsassina, Lombardy, and chaplain of Milan's San Vittore Prison for 30 years will also be inscribed. He is a citizen of Milan, educator and interpreter of the highest and noblest values of the City of Milan, a man of hope for all.
Fr Melesi served for 30 years in the prison, every day encountering inmates of all races and religions, becoming their friend and brother: that service behind bars knew of terrorists, robbers, murderers, criminals, but also many simple people in prison for common crimes. His style was never to focus on the crime, but on the individual.
In 1984, the entire nation was able to admire the depth of his commitment to reconciliation and the recovery of criminals: thanks to his mediation, the terrorists of the Red Brigades decided to hand over their weapons, depositing their arsenal with the Archbishop of Milan.
And even before working in the main city prison, in 1967 he had led the first group of 25 young people in Brazil, starting Operation Mato Grosso together with Fr Ugo De Censi and Fr Bruno Ravasio, one of the longest and most fruitful international missionary volunteering programs.
The Municipality of Milan conferred the highest civic honour on Fr Melesi, the"Ambrogino d 'Oro" remembering 7 December 2019 and this recognition found its genesis in his extraordinary enterprise of solidarity and civilisation, lasting for almost half a century, which has honoured and honours the City of Milan, marking a lifetime lived in the spirit of St Ambrose on behalf of the most difficult people in social, domestic and national coexistence.
On 2 November the Municipality of Milan will register the name of Fr Luigi Melesi among the illustrious personalities of the city. And his legacy is handed over to the citizenry, so that it may be peaceful and better.
In his immense heritage of writings, reflections and educational practices – from which even scholars of the problems of detention draw and will draw even in the future – there are also several "pearls" of true emulation of Don Bosco: "It is not possible to help a person to change his life for the better unless you take his side, unless you take charge of his life and his history... A person, to become good, must feel loved."
