The large number of children wandering around the city captured the attention of the passers-by. The city of São Paulo took in many new inhabitants in the final years of the 19th century. They came from various ethnic backgrounds, but mainly from the Italian Peninsula. The peaceful city became a metropolis and its factories attracted unemployed people from the state's countryside. Since many families caught diseases and did not withstand the long trips, their children became orphans. Many orphanages, day cares and vocational schools were created in order to take in these children and youngsters. However, a Catholic orphanage of social welfare and vocational nature, supported by a Catholic philanthropist, stood out. He was a Scalabrinian missionary who, with many difficulties and through donations, founded the Cristovão Colombo orphanage in order to take in orphans of Italian immigrants.