Vatican · 150th anniversary of the death of Alessandro Manzoni

Alessandro Manzoni was born in Milan in 1785 and is considered one of the formative authors of Italian Romanticism. He wrote poems, dramas, historical texts and works on language theory. His other well-known works include the tragedy “Adelchi”, the religious poems of “Inni sacri” and the ode “Il cinque maggio”, which he composed after Napoleon’s death. Manzoni was close to the Italian unification movement. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, he was appointed senator.

“I Promessi Sposi” tells the story of Renzo and Lucia, a young couple whose marriage is prevented by the local ruler Don Rodrigo. The story is set in Lombardy during Spanish rule in the 17th century. Historical events such as riots caused by food shortages, war and the plague in Milan form the backdrop. The novel addresses the abuse of political and social power, the weakness of state institutions, and questions of guilt, forgiveness and divine providence.

The work also influenced the development of a common Italian written language. In Manzoni’s time, Italy was highly fragmented linguistically; regional languages and dialects were used primarily in everyday life. Manzoni revised the novel according to the language usage of educated Florence. The final version appeared between 1840 and 1842 and later became widely used as school reading. In this way, the text contributed beyond literature to the linguistic unification of the emerging nation-state.

The Vatican’s connection to Manzoni is explained above all by his Catholic background. Following a religious reorientation, faith assumed a central position in his thinking and writing. His works combine historical representation and social criticism with moral and theological questions. At the same time, he embodies a connection between Catholic culture, Italian literature and the political history of the 19th century. This intersection is likely to have been the reason for his commemoration by the Vatican City State.