An Italian priest from the 1600s is credited with bringing skiing from remote Scandinavia to other parts of Europe. Father Francesco Negri was a natural history and geography buff, and
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An Italian priest from the 1600s is credited with bringing skiing from remote Scandinavia to other parts of Europe. Father Francesco Negri was a natural history and geography buff, and he had many helpful hints for successful skiing, including to always keep the skis parallel and to fuel up on generous portions of distilled liquor. Over the years, the pastime grew in popularity, becoming a more common hobby in middle-class society. Among the many Central Europeans who became avid skiers was St. John Paul II and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati.
