Page 55 - Bulletin, Vol.82 No.3, October 2023

THE POPE'S BLESSING TO SAVE THE ALETSCH

GLACIER

Par Evelina RIOUKHINA and Marie Therèse HORVAT

The legendary Aletsch Glacier is a
place full of myths and legends.
That's why we strongly recommend
that you visit it if you haven't
already done so. And have in mind
that it is not just to witness climate
change and how rising
temperatures can endanger this
natural wonder. It will be for
something else, something much
more powerful. As soon as you get
there, you will feel it. Contrary to
what you might think, the Glacier is
not that far away. In fact, it's just
2,5 hours by train from Geneva. And it is within easy reach of any of the three
viewpoints. And once you have seen this Glacier, you'll be magnetised by it and want to
go there again and again. It no wonder that this place has attracted many important and
influential people throughout history, until today.

In Switzerland, for example, it was Churchill's favourite place, often referred to as
"Churchill's Swiss Retreat", as it was here that he would recharge his batteries. It was
also where he found his greatest inspiration and wrote his most powerful works. You
can visit the place where he stayed, the famous Villa Cassel. This incredibly beautiful
building was built in the middle of nowhere, at the top of the mountain, practically on the
edge of the Glacier, at high altitude and accessible only on foot. You can even stay in its
suite (called the "Churchill Suite") to immerse yourself in the historic atmosphere of the
time.

Another famous character, Tyndall, was also absolutely captivated by this Glacier. He
was one of the first to conquer the Matterhorn, but it was the Aletsch Glacier that
captured his heart and soul and kept him coming back to the Glacier for 44 years, until
his death. A stone in his honour has been unveiled high above the Glacier. There is also
a historic hotel - on the other side of the rim (the tongue of the Glacier), in the most
enigmatic place called Belalp, known for its legends and real-life witches. -In fact, every
January, the people of Belalp chase the witch away from the Glacier. When you read
about the "witch hunt" in the newspapers, it's an allegory or imagination. The real witch-
hunt takes place in Belalp (called in German Belalp Hexe) !

But that's not the only mystery of the Glacier. The Glacier holds many secrets and is
said to have enormous power, in its ice, in its stones and in the icy rocks. If you
approach the Glacier and look closely at the mountain wall, you'll see the marks - the

AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 82 No.2, 2023-10 53

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