On May 13, the Church of Saint-Albert-le-Grand hosted a deeply moving evening with the dramatic reading Frassati et Nous (Frassati and Us), presented by the Imaginart theatre company in collaboration with young people from the Centre étudiant Dominicum (CéDum). Weaving together theatre, music and spiritual reflection, this collective creation offered audiences a chance to discover, or rediscover, the luminous figure of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, canonized on September 7, 2025 by Pope Leo XIV.

The project began with an unexpected discovery. Last summer, Sister Violaine Paradis, of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, came across a play script, Un grand amour m'attend ("A Great Love Awaits Me"), by Christophe Lafontaine, tucked away in a file. Inspired by this work devoted to the life and message of Pier Giorgio Frassati, she proposed to Gustavo Garay, director of the CéDum, that they develop a series of dramatic reading workshops for the Centre's young adult members. The aim was to create a space where theatre and faith could meet, and where participants could draw inspiration from Pier Giorgio's living witness.

Two questions guided Sister Violaine throughout the rehearsal process: how does embodying a character in theatre connect with the Christian calling to live the values of the Gospel today? And in what way does Pier Giorgio Frassati remain a relevant model for young people of our time?

As rehearsals and encounters unfolded, the project grew into a collective creation rooted in Pier Giorgio's life, yet deeply anchored in the realities and questions of today's young people. Frassati et Nous was born: a work in which the lived experience of CéDum students enters into dialogue with that of the young Italian saint.

From the opening scenes, the audience was drawn into a strikingly contemporary reflection. A young person, absorbed by social media and a relentless stream of troubling news, is weighed down by discouragement. His friends seek to rekindle hope through the words, gestures and values of Pier Giorgio. Musicians wove through the performance, marking each scene with song and moments of stillness that drew the audience steadily inward.

Scene by scene, audiences were transported to Turin in 1921, a city shadowed by fear and political violence, and then to the Frassati home in 1923, where friendship, shared meals and the motto Verso l'Alto ("Toward the Heights") recalled the importance of always striving upward, spiritually as much as humanly. The mountain, so dear to Pier Giorgio, became a symbol of both physical and spiritual endeavour: pressing forward through difficulty, holding fast to trust and praying in troubled times.

The play also brought into focus the young saint's social engagement with the poor and the most vulnerable. Though his parents struggled to understand his commitment and the way of life he had chosen, Pier Giorgio remained faithful to his Christian convictions. A tender scene centred on Laura Hidalgo, the young woman he loved but chose not to pursue, spoke quietly of the personal cost of his choices.

The parallels between Turin in 1924 and Montreal in 2026 were not lost on those present. The students in the play, much like Pier Giorgio in his own time, live through periods of doubt, disillusionment and a search for meaning. Yet through sincere friendship, the joy of living, the defence of just causes and the sharing of God's love, hope is still within reach.

With sensitivity and authenticity, Frassati et Nous reminded its audience that the message of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati is remarkably alive: to live fully, to love deeply, to serve others and to keep one's eyes fixed verso l'alto, toward the heights.

An evening in which theatre, faith and youth gathered around a single flame: the enduring, radiant hope of Pier Giorgio Frassati.