You’ve seen him in a number of posts, and if you live in Poschiavo, 75% of the residents know him.  His name is Graziano Rossi, a life-long resident of Valposchiavo that boasts of six villages. Poschiavo is the largest with a population of 3441.   His parents Giuseppe Rossi and his late mother Catarina Costa (2019) married and had two children, Graziano and his only sibling Brigida.  After his secondary education in Poschiavo, Graziano entered an apprenticeship as a carpenter.

Speaking with him either here in Switzerland or in the United States, you hear the three important  guiding stars in his life: care for his parents, his unwavering love of the Faith, and his pride and service to the Pontifical Swiss Guard.  Yes, the men in the medeival uniforms who promise under sacred oath to defend to their own death the person of the Holy Father, the Pope.  As the President of the Parish Council of the parish of San Bernardo, he coordinates the financial and temporal needs of the parish.  As a son, he now attends to his loving father who is a resident in a very impressive nursing/memory care home in Poschiavo.  As the President of the Retired Swiss Guard Association, Graziano coordinates the assignment of retired Italian speaking part of Switzerland, the Swiss Guards who are requested for celebrations in the six dioceses of Switzerland.

Here is my favorite photo of the celebration  of  the feast in San Bernardo Parish in Prada… (2019),

Left to right:  Cristiano, Don Davide (pastor), Msgr. Darcy, Graziano, Andrea (Chancellor of Lugano) and Manuele.