Italy Marks First ‘Dante Day’ Under Coronavirus Lockdown
National Catholic Register, 25 March 2020
Dante Day falls neither on the poet’s birthday nor death anniversary — it was chosen because Dante’s journey into the Inferno begins on Good Friday, and the traditional date of Good Friday is March 25.
Just two months ago, when Italy was still doing normal things, the government designated March 25 as “Dante Day” to honor the “father” of the Italian language and the greatest Christian poet to write in any language.
“Dante reminds us of many things that hold us together: Dante is the unity of the country; Dante is the Italian language; Dante is the very idea of Italy,” said Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. Italy needs such holding together now more than ever in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Italians celebrate the first-annual Dante Day under national lockdown. There is now plenty of time to read Dante or read about him and his importance. At those daily 6pm balcony breaks, where Italians sing and chant to each other, perhaps some readings of the Divine Comedy will be in order.
Dante Day is a timely reminder that leisure time — even enforced leisure time under lockdown — is fruitfully devoted to works of literature and culture. And the best literature, like Dante, points to eternal questions, a salutary thing when time seems to drag.
Dante Day was established to mark two anniversaries. This year, 2020, marks the 700th anniversary of the completion of the Divine Comedy, and 2021 marks the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death in 1321.
Helping Dante Help Italy
An artistic effort has been launched to raise funds for Santo Spirito Hospital near the Vatican during the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Dante translator Daniel Fitzpatrick and Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz are collaborating on a new electronic edition of The Divine Comedy.
Schmalz is the sculptor of the Homeless Jesus now installed at dozens of major churches around the world, as well as at the Vatican’s charity office. His recent monumental sculpture depicting migrants through history, Angels Unawares, was displayed in St. Peter’s Square last fall.
Those who donate at least $5 to a GoFundMe page to support Santo Spirito will get each week, from Dante Day 2020 to Dante Day 2021, two chapters (“cantos”) of The Divine Comedy, accompanied by images of the Schmalz sculptures.
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