Edizioni Paoline – Don Alberione and the Typography of Alba (1914)

Founded on August 20, 1914 in the Piedmontese town of Alba by Father Giacomo Alberione, the Scuola Tipografica Piccolo Operaio marked the historic genesis of the Society of Saint Paul and Edizioni Paoline.

The Printing Press as Modern Pulpit

Convinced that modern print technology and rotary presses represented the most potent instruments for cultural evangelization and moral education, Don Alberione gathered young apprentices in modest workshops in Alba. Equipping the workshop with manual type-setting desks and flatbed printing presses, the Paoline organization published accessible editions of the Gospels, educational pamphlets, and moral literature sold at modest prices across regional parishes. Alberione’s visionary approach transformed print craftsmanship into an active social mission, empowering rural and working-class families with accessible literature.

Publishing Expansion and Flagship Magazines

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Alba typography launched pioneering national periodicals, including the children’s comic magazine *Il Giornalino* in 1924 and the weekly magazine *Famiglia Cristiana* in 1931, which grew into one of the most widely circulated publications in Italian history. Expanding across five continents, Edizioni Paoline established bookstores, recording studios, and translation centers worldwide.

The historic motherhouse and the monumental Sanctuary of the Queen of the Apostles in Alba stand as protected monuments of twentieth-century religious and printing history, preserving early presses and typographical archives in the Langhe territory.

Historic Site & Location