Giorgio La Pira was originally from Sicily but moved to Florence to study law. 1933. In 1927 he became professor of Roman law at the University of Florence. As early as 1927 he had joined the lay branch of the Order of Preachers.

He combined his simple and pious life in the monastery of San Marco with impressive charitable activities outside it. With his collaborators, he founded a soup kitchen (mensa dei poveri it k) in 1933, which is still in operation today. He was also involved in the publication of a Dominican periodical and in 1943 founded a student group, where he gathered many young people, many of whom played important roles in post-war Italy.

Having experienced the hardships of war, he began his political career in 1946, being elected to the Italian Parliament as a member of the Christian Democratic Party. He played an active role in the drafting of the new Italian constitution. In addition to his work at the national level, he was mayor of Florence for ten years.

As mayor, he used his position to promote peace. During the Cold War, he sought to overcome ideological and political barriers by organizing international meetings of mayors and visiting cities both behind the Iron Curtain and along the Mediterranean. He was also involved in attempts to broker an agreement between the warring parties in Vietnam.