SAN MARINO – VATICAN – Rwe receive and publish: The presentation of two volumes which highlight the aspects of the valuable sixteenth-century diplomatic headquarters took place in the prestigious environments of the Italian embassy to the Holy See: “Palazzo Borromeo – The Italian Embassy at Holy See” And “Contemporaries at Palazzo Borromeo – Art and design in the Italian Embassy to the Holy See”.Taking inspiration from the work of the Renaissance architect Pirro Ligorio, who worked both at Palazzo Borromeo and at the Casina Pio IV, located in the Vatican gardens, the documentary “Casina Pio IV – The architecture of thought” of Msgr. Dario Edoardo Viganò. The Casina is today the seat of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The meeting helped to highlight the historical origins and architectural and artistic evolution of Palazzo Borromeo, which has hosted the Italian Embassy to the Holy See since 1929. The highly qualified scholars are the authors of incisive illustrative interventions coordinated by the Vatican News journalist, Cecilia Seppia. Among others, Prof. Daria Borghese, art historian and professor at the American University of Rome, Dr. Renata Cristina Mazzantini, art historian and director of the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, Msgr. Viganò, director of the documentary dedicated to the Casina of Pius IV and Vice Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Prof. Daniele Menozzi, Professor Emeritus of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa and Dr. Gianluca Casagrande of RAI Cultura. The scientific reports were preceded by greetings from the Italian ambassador Di Nitto, at whose courteous invitation I spoke to the interesting meeting, and from the chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, personalities with whom I had the opportunity to converse after the conclusion of the work on aspects of the Republic of San Marino. A leading figure in the Roman Curia, Turkson, an empathetic and lovable person, is known for his commitment to justice, peace and integral human development. In the days preceding the Conclave in which Cardinal Bergoglio was elected, his name was included among the eligible candidates. He then became one of the closest collaborators of the new Holy Father: it was to him that Francis turned for a first draft on the fundamental lines of the encyclical Laudato Si’. The beginning of our conversation was nice. Learning that he had a representative of the Republic of San Marino in front of him, he jokingly commented: “Ah, you are much bigger than us!” (alluding… to the extension of the States of Titan and the Vatican!).
Giorgio Girelli – Ambassador of San Marino
In the photo: Cardinal Peter Turkson and Ambassador Giorgio Girelli
