Clero e guerra nel diario del patriarca La Fontaine

The article examines the attitude of the clergy during the World War I, based on the journal of the Patriarch of Venice, Pietro La Fontaine (1915-1935). Venice, close to the front lines, after the withdrawal of Italian troops following the Battle of Caporetto (October 1917) for many months risked being overrun by Austrian troops. Located in the heart of events, the notes of the La Fontaine’s journal offer insights into some important churchmen, such as Agostino Gemelli, Giovanni Semeria, Angelo Bartolomasi (military vicar of Italy), but also into lesser-known figures of priests, illuminating their attitudes towards war. Furthermore, the article reconstructs briefly the interpretation of the causes of the World War I elaborated by La Fontaine. In particular, he indicated the moral and religious crisis of European society of the beginning of the twentieth century.

Clero e guerra nel diario del patriarca La Fontaine L’articolo prende in esame l’atteggiamento del clero durante la prima guerra mondiale, sulla base del diario del patriarca di Venezia, Pietro La Fontaine (1915-1935). Venezia, vicina alle linee del fronte, dopo la ritirata delle truppe italiane seguita alla battaglia di Caporetto (ottobre 1917) rischiò per molti mesi di essere invasa dalle truppe austriache. Situate nel pieno degli avvenimenti, le note del diario La Fontaine offrono spunti su alcuni ecclesiastici importanti, come Agostino Gemelli, Giovanni Semeria, il vescovo castrense Angelo Bartolomasi, ma anche su figure di preti meno noti, illuminando i loro atteggiamenti di fronte alla guerra. Inoltre l’articolo ricostruisce brevemente l’interpretazione delle cause della guerra elaborata da La Fontaine. In particolare egli indicò la crisi morale e religiosa della società europea degli inizi del Novecento. Clergy and war in the journal of the patriarch La Fontaine This article examines the attitude of the clergy during the World War I, based on the journal of the Patriarch of Venice, Pietro La Fontaine (1915-1935). Venice, close to the front lines, after the withdrawal of Italian troops following the Battle of Caporetto (October 1917) for many months risked being overrun by Austrian troops. Located in the heart of events, the notes of the La Fontaine’s journal offer insights into some important churchmen, such as Agostino Gemelli, Giovanni Semeria, Angelo Bartolomasi (military vicar of Italy), but also into lesser-known figures of priests, illuminating their attitudes towards war. Furthermore, the article reconstructs briefly the interpretation of the causes of the World War I elaborated by La Fontaine. In particular, he indicated the moral and religious crisis of European society of the beginning of the twentieth century.