Invisible barriers—even when you want to pray
Those living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) or Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) inhabit a world full of invisible obstacles. Unlike architectural barriers, which can be seen and touched, chemical and electromagnetic barriers often go unnoticed—but they can be just as limiting.
Perfumes, disinfectants, Wi-Fi signals, paints, detergents: what most people consider neutral or pleasantly scented can become a source of physical distress—or even danger—for someone with environmental sensitivities. At Casa Vallebona, we understand this deeply. That’s why we’ve studied, designed, and built an environment that is truly livable for those with this form of environmental disability.
According to the Italian Consensus on MCS (2021), this condition is “a chronic, recurrent, multisystem environmental syndrome that worsens even with exposures below the threshold considered safe for the general population” (Consensus MCS 2021). The problem is not “in the mind” of the person affected—it is the body that reacts abnormally to common environmental stimuli.
And yet, there are no laws requiring the removal of chemical or electromagnetic barriers in public places, schools, hospitals, or on public transport. This legal vacuum results in daily exclusion and discrimination.
A safe house for the environmentally sensitive
We chose to create a place that responds to this exclusion. Casa Vallebona, just outside Rome, was born to offer a safe and compatible refuge for those who cannot stay in the city or in conventional accommodations. During the design process, we eliminated everything that might act as a trigger:
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No Wi-Fi or mobile phones
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No industrial paints
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No perfumes or harsh cleaning products
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No synthetic or chemically treated materials
We used only natural materials, installed shielded electrical systems, and furnished the house with masonry or metal furniture. We are not a medical center or an agritourism: we are a home carefully created for those excluded from everywhere else.
Environmental illness should not exclude people from the Jubilee
Even prayer can become a problem: churches often contain burning candles, people wearing perfume, and clothing washed with scented softeners. Many prefer to follow Mass from home. But the Jubilee is a unique occasion that many long to experience—and some will manage it, perhaps with the help of a mask.
It is much harder for those with EHS, who cannot protect themselves from the many mobile phones in use or the radiation from antennas. Spending a full day in central Rome may be impossible for some, and barely tolerable for others—especially if they can’t retreat at night to a safe space where they can recover.
That’s why we decided to offer Casa Vallebona as a safe base for those who wish to experience the Jubilee but cannot stay in the city.
For those who book and declare their intention to attend the Jubilee, we offer a 10% discount in June–July and October–November.
We don’t organize transportation or pilgrimages, but we offer a clean, quiet, protected environment where guests can return and recharge after an intense day.
We believe that people living with MCS or EHS have just as much right to participate in spiritual, social, and cultural life. The environment should not be what determines who gets to live a universal experience like the Jubilee—and who doesn’t.
đź“š Sources and References
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Damiani G. et al., Italian Expert Consensus on Clinical and Therapeutic Management of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021, 18(21):11294. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111294
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Lacour M. et al., Suggestions for an extension of the US MCS case definition, Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health, 2005
