RSS Feed
|
A manuscript penned by Luigi Gedda, who was present at the 1946 Ostensione at Montevergine, writes about the event that honored the importance of the Monastery sheltering the Shroud. In his article titled, L’ostensione della Sindone a Montevergine, Professor Gedda pens King Umberto's final decree on how to handle his most precious property, The Holy Shroud of Turin. Translated to English Note the declaration of the King’s statement, while the property was claimed by the House of Savoy, the relic being declared “inalienable.” The use of the word inalienable is a powerful adjective reinforcing his ownership of the Shroud. It was on June 2, 1946, Italy held a referendum to decide either on the continuation of the monarchy or to create a Republic holding democratic elections. The Holy See distrusting political partisan politics, preferred the continuance of the Monarchy believing it would create stability for the Church. However, with roughly 2 million more votes, Italians replaced the monarchy with a newly formed government elected by a democratic process of free elections. Under protest by King Umberto, the Republic was formally affirmed on June 6, 1946. The King proclaimed this was a coup d’état and his loyalists were advocating for civil unrest over what they perceived as a rigged election. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed, and the King abdicated his throne. One week after the Republic was formally proclaimed, King Umberto departed Italy and lived in exile at Cascais Portugal for the remainder of his life. During the referendum election, the Shroud was still at Montevergine. It was on June 10, 1946, Archbishop Maurilio Fossati received a letter from King Umberto II. In the manuscript written by Giovanne Mongelli, he details in the King's letter The things that have happened induce me today to communicate to Your Holy Eminence that it is my intention that this precious relic remain sacred and inalienable property of my House/the House of Savoy—from now I give my full authority that this Shroud will be placed again to its original location in Turin, in the Chapel that has its name. Continuing with Mongelli’s manuscript, it appears the Church was relieved with the King’s decision concerning the sacred relic. The letter ended all questions. Truly it was the best solution that the King of Italy could have taken regarding that very precious relic. When the Shroud was taken to Montevergine, the ecclesiastical authority of Turin didn’t have anything to do with its move, but only the guardians and the chaplains of the court; now, instead, for its return to the metropolis of Piedmont, all depended on the orders of the Cardinal Maurilio Fossati, archbishop of Turin. He thought that the end of October would be a good time to bring the Holy Shroud back to Turin. Mongelli, 1973 While preparing to leave Italy, The King gave custodian to the ecclesiastical authority for safeguarding the Shroud and allowed Cardinal Fossati to make the decision when the Shroud will be returned to the Guarino Guarini located inside the Royal Palace. In both writings, Gedda and Mongelli, The King requested that the Shroud be returned to Turin. Seven years the Shroud was hidden beside the chapel Coreto di Notte, inside the Monastery at Montevergine. On October 28, 1946, Cardinal Fossati traveled to Montevergine to personally execute its return. Amongst the assemblage of guests who arrived with the Cardinal, were two individuals who stood out; Professor Luigi Gedda an accomplished genetics scientist and Professor Carlo Carreto. Both men were involved with the Catholic Action society. Professor Gedda was the president, while Professor Carreto was president of the Italian Youth of the Catholic Action. The official Catholic Action Society (Azione Cattolica) was founded in 1867, by Mario Fani and Giovanni Acquaderni. The society was formed in an attempt to counter ideologies in secular movement during the turbulent times of Italy’s unification in the mid-1800s. Conventional wisdom suggests that the professors were invited by the Cardinal because both men held prestigious positions in the Catholic Action and were in good Catholic standings. It was also obvious that Professor Gedda was undoubtedly prepared for his presentation during the Shroud’s Veneration at Montevergine since he had slides and other Shroud materials to show his audience. Unfortunately, there is another possibility of why the two men were present, politics! During the 1946 Referendum, Pope Pius XII urged neutrality to his Catholic followers during the election. However, privately, Pope Pius XII agreed with Myron Taylor, The Pope’s envoy appointed by President Truman, "that it would have been far preferable for Italy to remain a monarchy, but he also noted that what was done was done". •Giuliana Chamedes; The Vatican and the Making of the Atlantic Order, 1920-1960, Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2013 (pp 301,307) The Pope thus decided to do all in his powers to ensure that the communists do not win the upcoming general elections. The solution was to back the Christian Democrats and create a strong bond. The Christian Democrat party Democrazia Cristiana, DC, was founded by Alcide Amedeo Francesco De Gasperi during the Nazi occupation of Italy in 1943. De Gasperi was a very religious and devoted Catholic who envisioned the party's principle loosely based on Giuseppe Mazzini’s concept of a republic during the Risorgimento movement with Christian principles. The Christian Democrat party was religiously inspired that attracted both, left and right-leaning factions in the population. The importance of Catholic Action and other Catholic organizations was to help thwart the expansion of Marxist and Communism throughout the world. By 1947 the Vatican had to accept the existence of the cold war and their loss of influence in countries such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Hungary. As a result, Pope Pius XII endorsed all Christian organizations that popularized Catholic Ideology to counter Soviet expansion. Organized by the Bishops at their local diocese, Catholic Action, and affiliated Catholic organizations will become instructed to mobilize for the support of De Gasper's Christian Democratic party. It was imperative to the United States, and its allies not to see Italy falling into the hands of the communist. By 1947, Alcide De Gasperi was losing popularity and the communist party might win the majority seats in the next election. Against the advice of De Gasperi to compromise with the left, The US Secretary of State, George Marshall, informed James C. Dunn the Ambassador to Italy, no aid will be provided under the Marshall Plan unless De Gasperi dissolve the parliament and remove the Communist Party from political participation. Providing muscle to the anti-leftist movement was the Mafia who had deep connections inside the Christian Democrat party. And To ensure the dissolution of Parliament, the CIA invested money and operational support to Professor Gedda's Catholic Action, to ensure get out the votes from Italy’s religious faction. By this time, Professor Gedda had over three million active members to spread the word. With support from the Vatican, Gedda was able to mobilize 300,000 Catholic Action activists from 22,000 parishes throughout Italy. On April 18, 1948, the first Parliamentary election was held. When the results were tallied, De Gasperi’s Christian Democratic Party won 48.5 percent of the popular vote. Philip Willan, 2002; Puppetmasters: The Political Use of Terrorism in Italy Regardless which party won the most seats in the new republic, The Italian Constitution was already enacted on January 1, 1948, more than four months before the election. Under the title of Transitional and Final Provisions in article Xlll of the newly Constitution, it declared, "The members and descendants of the House of Savoy shall not be voters and may not hold public office or elected offices." Access and sojourn in the national territory shall be forbidden to the ex-kings of the House of Savoy, their spouses and their male descendants. The assets, existing on national territory, of the former kings of the House of Savoy, their spouses and their male descendants shall be transferred to the State. Transfers and the establishment of royal rights on said properties which took place after 2 June 1946, shall be null and void. (*) It's apparent under title of Transitional and Final Provisions in article Xlll, any members and its descendants of the House of Savoy that the assets existing on national territory, shall be transferred to the State and that any of the House of Savoy’s property transferred after June 2, 1946 are null and void. The Final Provision makes it clear; The Shroud of Turin would also be considered the property of the State. Was the presents of Professor Gedda and Professor Carreto at Montevergine to help facilitate an agreement with the State and Church? Related information used and cited Professor Luigi Gedda; 1946 L’ostensione della Sindone a Montevergine. (pp 41-42)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Joni & Giorgio Bracaglia
About the Author
Giorgio Bracaglia has over 40 years of image-related services and technical research in providing quantifiable data to meet ISO standards. He was the lead color inspection specialist for Eddie Adams, Kit Luce, Claudio Abate, and many other international artists. In 1999, Giorgio became the material director of the Holy Shroud Guild and was responsible for web hosting, presentations, and archiving the historical documents of the Guild. Archives
November 2021
Categories
All
|