The Gaetano Cicognani Library in Faenza is linked to the life of its Seminary which, in 1953, after the hard years of the Second World War, was definitively moved to its present location by Bishop Giuseppe Battaglia. Also in the case of Faenza, the study of the historical and cultural events that characterize the institution and the life of the seminary brings new pieces to the wider picture not only of the religious and cultural history, but also of the political and social history of the territory in which it arose. In the project of the new seminar pursued by Battaglia the construction of the annexed library occupied a prominent place and from the very beginning could count on the support and commitment of Cardinal Gaetano Cicognani (1881-1962) who, at the time, had been together to his brother Amleto Giovanni, a student from the Faenza seminary to whom, despite diplomatic and curial commitments, they maintained constant attention and concern. Gaetano Cicognani took charge of the library in all aspects, with particular attention to enriching constantly the book heritage in which flowed also the texts belonging to the cardinal’s personal library and part of his eloquent and not yet studied testimonials, of his activity of apostolic nuncio in crucial years and nations such as Austria of the years 1936-38 or Spain of the period 1938-53, and of his involvement in the preparatory works of the Vatican Council II. After the cardinal’s death in 1962, “his” library continued to expand, recording a considerable increase in its assets. It has gradually become a gathering point for religious and monastic funds belonging to convents and religious settlements closed or transferred to other offices and libraries of diocesan priests.

La Biblioteca Gaetano Cicognani di Faenza è legata alla vita del Seminario cittadino che nel 1953, dopo i pesanti anni del secondo conflitto mondiale, per volontà del vescovo Giuseppe Battaglia venne definitivamente spostato nell’attuale sede. Anche nel caso di Faenza, lo studio delle vicende storiche e culturali che caratterizzano l’istituzione e la vita del seminario apporta nuovi tasselli al più vasto quadro non solo della storia religiosa e culturale, ma anche di quella politica e sociale del territorio in cui sorse. Nel progetto del nuovo seminario perseguito da Battaglia la realizzazione dell’annessa biblioteca occupava un posto di rilievo e, fin dalla prime battute, poté contare sul sostegno e l’impegno del cardinale Gaetano Cicognani (1881-1962). Questi, a suo tempo, era stato insieme al fratello Amleto Giovanni alunno del seminario faentino verso il quale, nonostante gli impegni diplomatici e curiali, mantennero una costante attenzione e sollecitudine. Gaetano Cicognani si fece carico della biblioteca sotto tutti gli aspetti, con particolare attenzione ad arricchirne costantemente il patrimonio librario nel quale sono confluiti anche i testi appartenenti alla biblioteca personale del cardinale e parte delle sue carte testimonianze eloquenti, e ancora non studiate, sia della sua attività di nunzio apostolico in anni ed in nazioni cruciali quali l’Austria degli anni 1936-38 o la Spagna del periodo 1938-53, sia del suo coinvolgimento nei lavori preparatori del Concilio Vaticano II. Dopo la morte del cardinale avvenuta nel 1962 la “sua” biblioteca ha continuato ad espandersi registrando un considerevole aumento del suo patrimonio. Essa è infatti via via divenuta punto di raccolta di fondi religiosi e monastici appartenuti a conventi ed insediamenti religiosi, chiusi o trasferiti in altre sedi, e di biblioteche di sacerdoti diocesani.

La Biblioteca Gaetano Cicognani di Faenza. Una ricerca in corso tra storia, libri e carte

Elisabetta Marchetti
2019

Abstract

The Gaetano Cicognani Library in Faenza is linked to the life of its Seminary which, in 1953, after the hard years of the Second World War, was definitively moved to its present location by Bishop Giuseppe Battaglia. Also in the case of Faenza, the study of the historical and cultural events that characterize the institution and the life of the seminary brings new pieces to the wider picture not only of the religious and cultural history, but also of the political and social history of the territory in which it arose. In the project of the new seminar pursued by Battaglia the construction of the annexed library occupied a prominent place and from the very beginning could count on the support and commitment of Cardinal Gaetano Cicognani (1881-1962) who, at the time, had been together to his brother Amleto Giovanni, a student from the Faenza seminary to whom, despite diplomatic and curial commitments, they maintained constant attention and concern. Gaetano Cicognani took charge of the library in all aspects, with particular attention to enriching constantly the book heritage in which flowed also the texts belonging to the cardinal’s personal library and part of his eloquent and not yet studied testimonials, of his activity of apostolic nuncio in crucial years and nations such as Austria of the years 1936-38 or Spain of the period 1938-53, and of his involvement in the preparatory works of the Vatican Council II. After the cardinal’s death in 1962, “his” library continued to expand, recording a considerable increase in its assets. It has gradually become a gathering point for religious and monastic funds belonging to convents and religious settlements closed or transferred to other offices and libraries of diocesan priests.
2019
Elisabetta Marchetti
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/691840
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