The Castellazzo motorcycle association, born on the evening of March 16, 1933, through the initiative of Dr. Marco Re, chose as its patron the "Most Holy Virgin of Creta and delle Grazie," placing in its headquarters the image donated by the Rector of the Sanctuary. Exactly eighty years ago, in August 1943, a small news item was published hinting that the pharmacist was planning a surprise for the Sanctuary and for our beloved Madonnina. Two months earlier, on June 3rd, Marco Re wrote to Mr. Luciano Prati, a native of Castellazzo and journalist for the Gazzetta del Popolo in Turin: "Dear Luciano, I have a new project underway... what if our Sanctuary, already renowned, could further enhance its fame by becoming the Madonna of Castellazzo the Patroness of Motorcyclists in Italy? Motorists have St. Christopher, venerated in the famous Church of Milan, aviators have the Madonna di Loreto of the celebrated Sanctuary, motorcyclists will have the Madonna of Castellazzo Bormida. Imagine the prestige and development your Castellazzo would gain: there will be a Motorcyclists' day with a grand celebration in the Sanctuary and a blessing of the motorcycles...".
The reply, of which a significant passage is cited here, was not long in coming: "I firmly believe that to make faith blossom in a thousand hearts, to the point of guiding them on a pilgrimage of love and devotion to the Sanctuary of our Virgin of Creta, requires either a miracle or the words of Saints. Neither I nor you are Saints. However, a miracle can occur, because the Divine goodness of our Patroness is infinite, and I hope that the miracle will involve a motorcyclist, who will then be the first to make Her the protector and patroness, and others will follow, as you wish and intend."
Evidently, the "miracle" did happen, and as documented in the Sanctuary's bulletins from those years, the first gatherings bear witness to the faith and devotion towards the beloved Madonnina, who, as Dr. Re wrote, has always bestowed a drop of Her Grace upon our families.
Today the Moto Club boasts around 200 members and is registered with CONI (the Italian National Olympic Committee) and the Italian Motorcycle Federation; it participates in various motorcycle events at the regional, national, and international levels, using the motorcycle as a means to spread messages of peace and brotherhood among peoples.
