Blessed Variara was born in 1875 in Asti (Italy). At the age of twelve he entered the Valdocco Oratory and met Saint John Bosco in the final stage of his life.
On one occasion, Luis and his friends were playing in the yard when suddenly the “Saint of the young” arrived. In a hurry, he tried to sneak through the crowd to see him and greet him. Just before he left, he noticed how Don Bosco’s eyes stared at him. Little Luis, at that moment, was sure that he had met a holy man and that he had perceived something in him, something that only God could show him.
After that meeting, Luis became very interested in the work of the Salesians. Over time he was attracted to his charisma and asked to be admitted to the Order. He made his religious profession before Blessed Miguel Rúa, who that day had a gesture that was very significant to him: Rúa whispered a play on words in his ear: “Variara, don’t vary.”