The new program. "TV2000, the words of Benedict XVI"
THE NEW PROGRAM
TV2000, the words of Benedict XVI
Angela Calvini
One commentator exceptional, Benedict XVI , the Gospel of Sunday. From next Saturday, the eve of the first Sunday of Lent, the Pope will guide us for the festive mass, a new program Tv2000 ( Sky channel 801, digital terrestrial channel 28 and web ). Sunday with Pope Benedict XVI will be broadcast every Saturday at 17.30, with a replica at 22.35, and will accompany the whole liturgical year without going on vacation. Art and music combine the best of the preaching of Pope: the sermons of the masses and that of the Angelus.
The word of Ratzinger will be the central point: from the archive of six years of preaching, will be taken in hands-free image and more songs that will help us understand the development of the next day. To make overtures to the program, three works of art related to the theme, illustrated by the art critic Monsignor Timothy Verdon, and to the accompaniment of Gregorian chants of the Mass of the day, a choir directed by Fulvio Rampi, among the best performers of liturgical song di rito latino.
«Il programma nasce dallo stesso Benedetto XVI: lui è considerato il "Papa delle omelie". Grazie al mezzo televisivo e al web ora le sue parole potranno raggiungere un pubblico ancora più ampio» spiega l’autore del programma, Sandro Magister, giornalista e curatore di tre volumi sulle omelie di Joseph Ratzinger Papa, pubblicate da Libri Scheiwiller. Magister proprio ieri ha presentato il nuovo programma di Tv2000 al Santo Padre, al termine dell’Udienza generale del mercoledì.
«Il rapporto diretto con l’ascoltatore è un tratto tipico di questo Papa – aggiunge Magister –. Lui vuol fare arrivare il messaggio unmediated by the written and spoken word, just as in his books about Jesus of Nazareth, in the book Light of the World interview in encyclicals such as the Spe Salvi. " For example, next Saturday from the voice you hear the words of the Pope's Angelus is a dedicated to the temptations of Jesus in the desert, but also a track from his first book on Jesus, he speaks of the last temptation, that of power.
"Do not forget that the homily is the central element of the liturgical celebration itself - explains Magister -. The Word becomes a fact, highlights the realization of the word of God but the Christian liturgy is also made of art and music, even if the mass, as Pope Benedict said "it is not theater, not show." Art and music are not accessories, but they are a constituent part of the liturgy: beauty is a way for the sacred, and we unfortunately we are unaccustomed. "
For the program, which was directed by Pina Cataldo, the TV directed by Dino Boffo, therefore, has enlisted the great professionals. Verdon, in the first episode, show so popular, the Gospel of the temptation with a painting by Tintoretto's Scuola di San Rocco, a table of Duccio and kept in New York with a mosaic of Ravenna of the fifth century. As for the music, during Lent the Gregorian Singers will be conducted by Maestro ramps Sant'Abbondio in Cremona. From Easter onwards the songs will be performed in other places, like the most beautiful churches of Rome, alternating with a choir that will perform motets by Palestrina and Monteverdi, to music on the liturgical texts for each Sunday.
Pope Benedict XVI to the Roman parish priests: be men with the heart of God, proclaim the truth even if uncomfortable, especially the poor love
Pope tells Roman parish priests: be men with God's heart, proclaim the truth even if inconvenient, love especially the poor
The priest is not an "administrator", but a man chosen by God to imitate Christ, as He knows that to be humble, love humanity, have feeling for the poor, support with courage the Church wherever it is threatened. With a comprehensive lectio divina inspired by chapter 20 of the Acts of the Apostles, Benedict XVI this morning he met with the priests of the diocese of Rome, led by Vicar Cardinal Agostino Vallini, in the traditional annual meeting held in the Hall of Blessings . ; service Alessandro De Carolis : ( Audio )
Avere l’occhio di Dio, non quello del burocrate. Non c’è alternativa per un sacerdote. San Paolo lo aveva compreso e San Luca descritto in quel capitolo degli Atti degli Apostoli che il Papa ha definito come “destinato agli uomini di ogni tempo”. L’attualità del testo antico è diventata materia di riflessione per il prete del tempo moderno, centellinata dal Pontefice frase dopo frase. Il sacerdote, ha affermato, anzitutto “non è un padrone della fede”:
“Prete non si è a tempo solo parziale; si è sempre, con tutta l’anima, con tutto il nostro cuore. Questo essere con Cristo ed essere ambasciatore di Cristo, questo essere per gli altri è una missione che penetra il nostro essere e deve sempre più penetrare nella totalità del nostro essere”.
Il servizio, ha proseguito Benedetto XVI, chiama l’umiltà. Che non è esibizione di “falsa modestia” ma amore per la volontà di Dio, che proprio grazie all’umiltà del servitore può essere annunciata nella sua integrità, senza condizionamenti o preferenze, e senza “creare l’idea che il cristianesimo sia un pacchetto immenso di cose da imparare”:
“Questo è importante: non predica Christianity à la carte, according to their tastes, preaching a gospel according to their own favorite ideas, according to his theological ideas, not subtract from announcing all, all God's will, the will also uncomfortable, even the topics that personally I do not like them much. "
The Pauline text was then suggested to the Pope thoughts on the subject of conversion of heart. "Conversion," the Pope said, is above that of thought and heart, so they are not really tangible things or events in the world as it appears, but actually recognize the presence of God in the world. From this vision, the priest shall conduct its "race" in the world, without ever losing - he recommended Benedict XVI - the beginning of the enamel:
"Do not lose the zeal, the joy of being called by the Lord let (...) renew our spiritual youth (...) the joy of walking with Christ to the end of 'to finish the race' in the excitement of always being called by Christ for this great service. "
The priest, as Paul, said the Pope must not think of his mere "biological survival". Of course, guard is a must, but do not forget that the offer itself, even to the gift of life, his model treats the priest, Christ
"Only God can make us priests, only God can choose their own priests and if we are chosen, we chosen by him here is clearly the sacramental character of the priesthood and the priesthood, which is not a profession that must be done because somebody has to manage all the things (...) It 'an election by the Holy Spirit. "
Pius XI, Benedict XVI recalled, remarked on the problem of sleepiness good ", ie the lack of levees that Christians themselves often resist the forces of evil. The priest, insisted, is called to "watch" and to pray intensely:
"'Take heed to yourselves', we are also attentive to our spiritual life, our prayers be with Christ (...) and meditate on the Word of God is not a waste of time for the care of souls, but is provided so that we can be truly in touch with the Lord and so to speak first hand of the Lord to others. "
The Church is threatened, and always will be, said the Pope But this knowledge must never be forgotten and other immodificabili realtà:
“La verità è più forte della menzogna, l’amore è più forte dell’odio, Dio è più forte di tutte le forze avverse ... a Dio. E con questa gioia, con questa certezza interiore prendiamo la nostra strada (…) nelle consolazioni di Dio e nelle persecuzioni del mondo”.
Nell’indirizzo di saluto a Benedetto XVI, il cardinale Vallini aveva definito la lectio divina l’ideale conclusione del recente pellegrinaggio a Cipro dei sacerdoti romani, quindi – ringraziando il Pontefice per il suo nuovo libro su Gesù – ha definito il volume "A good companion for Lent. Affectionate and touching, then, the words he addressed to the cardinal vicar pope recalled the 60.mo of priesthood - which falls on June 29 - and highlighting the quality of priestly Benedict XVI most appreciated by the clergy:
"The loyalty, humble and joyful, without cracks, the Lord Jesus, and the total availability to serve the Church in which Providence has given him up to the formidable weight of the supreme pontificate, love the Word of God and the Liturgy and the joy of life time to the rhythm of the liturgical year, the exercise of intelligence and passion for the pursuit of truth without compromise to propose and defend, the sweetness of the stroke and the magnanimity of the heart, the soul's serenity of total dedication to Christ. "
A conversation with the editor of Benedict XVI "From Pencil to 'e-book "(Giulia Galeotti)
A conversation with the editor of Benedict XVI
From pencil to e-book
Giulia Galeotti
Seven initial editions for a total of one million two hundred thousand copies and signed contracts with twenty-two publishers around the world. These are the first issues of Benedict XVI's book Jesus of Nazareth. The entrance to Jerusalem to the Resurrection. The book is presented in the afternoon of March 10 in the Holy See Press Office. Of its genesis, the background that led to the creation and especially the complex publishing operation that is at the base, talk to Don Giuseppe Costa, director of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV).
In the interview last January 20 with our newspaper, she provided for the output volume for March: perfectly on time thanks to whom?
The credit is a bit 'all, but first author, who has delivered very early. Then there was the long process of translation into several languages, and by February, the press and an organization that really took a lot of effort
What was the history of book publishing?
Almost a year and a half ago, Monsignor Georg Gänswein gave me the memory stick and paper: the Pope had entered the text in pencil, with his unmistakable handwriting minute, then, as always, Birgit Wansing has transcribed to the computer.
In Italy, the first volume was published by Rizzoli, while the current goes out with the Lev: not just a change.
I would say so. The book, printed by the Vatican Press, is distributed by the RCS, with its excellent organization that has guaranteed distribution of three hundred thousand copies in three days.
One thing not easy to be that of the translations.
especially in Italian it was not easy, because in these decades, Joseph Ratzinger's books were translated by different hands: the challenge was to find a degree of uniformity of language. It should also avoid the risk that the various language can not keep or even betray the author's thought. Fidelity to the original has been insured with care and commitment by the translators of the Secretary of State.
For the first volume, there were translation problems?
Yes: for example, that China was not flawless, and others did not respond to theological language. We received more requests for translations from the first volume?
Yes, the interest is higher, and consequently the number of publishers has grown. And this is just the beginning: we have signed contracts with twenty-two publishers around the world, but we are negotiating with others.
How is the choice of the publishers?
When you know that the Pope is working on a book, there's several requests from several countries, so that the editors at the end are only a part of those who had come forward. In the United States, for example, it seemed Ignatius Press il più adeguato, anche se avevano fatto richiesta editori importanti come Doubleday e Our Sunday Visitor. Per l'edizione in francese, abbiamo scelto Parole et Silence, una casa editrice in crescita, molto impegnata nella diffusione del magistero papale, e in Spagna Encuentro.
Il cambiamento è stato completo...
Quasi completo: non tutti gli editori del primo volume hanno stampato anche il secondo. La scelta è stata dettata da più criteri. Di serietà editoriale e organizzativa, certo, ma anche di affidabilità: abbiamo deciso per editori capaci di promuovere non semplicemente il libro, ma anche il suo contenuto.
What issues are scheduled?
On March 10, leaving seven editions - in German, Italian, English, French, English, Portuguese and Polish - for a total of one million two hundred thousand copies. The German edition is playing with one hundred and fifty thousand copies, but Herder has already added other fifty thousand and is ready to run. The Italian edition has already distributed three hundred thousand copies, and we are reprinting other hundred thousand. And while in France one hundred thousand copies are ready, Portugal began with twenty thousand. In late March, then, comes the Croatian edition.
It will provide the e-book?
Yes, certainly, and in some languages \u200b\u200bis also available for the first volume.
And the future?
In the preface to this book, the Pope announced a third part devoted to the Gospels. And there is the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a single edition of the Lev to the three volumes. We believe that this new book by Pope Benedict XVI will be a long seller. As such it will be well promoted through presentations, meetings and other activities.
The book is dedicated to the last days of Jesus' life output in the vicinity of Easter is a case?
No, this is certainly the best time. You could also post before, but there was the book's release in November interview.
Benedict XVI is surely a sign that it will save on advertising ...
Not only that, but as a publisher I must say that the Pope has increased the Lev because we had to adapt structures and organization, demonstrating a capacity that had previously not had. Obviously, the Pope also calls on the cultural side, because we offer essays in response to his works and books that disseminate for the general public of her teaching.
There is no author, if there is a reader: even in the case of Benedict XVI?
The Pope is always read, even the most complex. Benedict XVI is a distinguished theologian, and sometimes also delves into issues concerning the research method, but who is interested in the story of faith, the spiritual dimension or even human communication, always finds its pages very understandable. And engaging.
[Francese, Inglese, Italiano , Portoghese, Spagnolo, Tedesco]
Cari fratelli e sorelle,
iniziamo oggi il tempo liturgico della Quaresima con il suggestivo rito dell’imposizione delle ceneri, attraverso il quale vogliamo assumere l'impegno di convertire il nostro cuore verso gli orizzonti della Grazia. In genere, nell’opinione comune, questo tempo rischia di essere connotato dalla tristezza, dal grigiore della vita. Invece esso è dono prezioso di Dio, è tempo forte e denso di significati nel cammino della Chiesa, è l’itinerario verso la Pasqua del Signore. Le Letture bibliche dell’odierna celebrazione offer us to fully live this spiritual experience.
"Come back to me with all your heart" ( Gl 2:12). In the first reading from the book of the prophet Joel, we heard these words with which God invites the Jewish people to a sincere repentance and not apparent. This is not a conversion superficial and transient, but a spiritual journey that covers in depth the attitudes of conscience and presupposes a sincere about repentance. The prophet is inspired by the plight of the invasion of locusts that had befallen on the people by destroying their crops, to invite an interior penance, to tear the heart and not the clothes (cf. 2.13). It is, to implement an attitude of genuine conversion to God - to return to Him - by recognizing his holiness, his power, his majesty. And this conversion is possible because God is rich in mercy and love. His mercy is a regenerative, which creates in us a clean heart, renew a spirit still in the depths, giving us the joy of salvation (cf. Ps 50.14). In fact, God - as the prophet says - do not want the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live (cf. Ez 33:11). The prophet Joel orders on behalf of the Lord, the creation of a conducive environment penitential must play the trumpet, convene the meeting, to awaken consciences. The Lenten season offers us that the liturgical and penitential: a journey of forty days in which to experiment effectively the merciful love of God for us today echoes the call "Come back to me with all your heart" and today we are to be called to convert our hearts to God, always conscious of not being able to fulfill our conversion yourself, with our forces, because it is God who converts. He still offers us his forgiveness and invited him to come back to give us a new heart, purified from the evil that oppresses him, for us to share in his joy. Our world needs to be converted by God, he need his forgiveness, his love, needs a new heart.
"Be reconciled to God" (2 Cor 5.20). In the second reading St. Paul gives us another element in the path of conversion. The Apostle calls keep my eyes on him and instead pay attention to those who have sent and the content of the message he brings: "In the name of Christ, therefore, we are ambassadors through us is God himself who urges . We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God "(ibid.). An ambassador repeats what he heard spoken by her Lord and speaks with the authority and within the limits that received. Who has held the position of ambassador to attract the interest on itself, but must serve the message to be sent and who sent him. So does St. Paul in carrying out his ministry as a preacher of the Word of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. He does not flinch in the face of received task, but acquitted him with complete dedication and invited to be open to grace, to let God convert us, "For we are his colleagues - he writes - we urge you not to neglect the grace of God "(2 Cor 6.1). "Christ's call to conversion - says the Catechism of the Catholic Church - continues to resonate in the lives of Christians. [...] is a continued commitment to the whole Church "includes in its bosom sinners" and that "at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal." This endeavor of conversion is not just a human. It is the movement of "contrite heart" (Ps 51 , 19), attracted and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first "(No. 1428). St. Paul speaks to Christians of Corinth, but through their duty to reach all people. For all have need of God's grace, to enlighten their minds and hearts. And the Apostle insisted: "Now is the time, now is the day of salvation!" ( 2Cor 6,2). Tutti possono aprirsi all’azione di Dio, al suo amore; con la nostra testimonianza evangelica, noi cristiani dobbiamo essere un messaggio vivente, anzi, in molti casi siamo l’unico Vangelo che gli uomini di oggi leggono ancora. Ecco la nostra responsabilità sulle orme di san Paolo, ecco un motivo in più per vivere bene la Quaresima : offrire la testimonianza della fede vissuta ad un mondo in difficoltà che ha bisogno di ritornare a Dio, che ha bisogno di conversione.
«Guardatevi dal praticare la vostra giustizia davanti agli uomini per essere ammirati da loro» ( Mt 6,1). Gesù, nel Vangelo di oggi, rilegge le three major works of piety provided by the Mosaic law. Almsgiving, prayer and fasting characterize the jew according to the law. Over time, these provisions had been eroded by rust external formalism, or even had mutated into a sign of superiority. Jesus highlights in these three works of mercy a common temptation. When you do something good, almost instinctively comes the desire to be respected and admired for the good deed, to have that satisfaction. And this, on the one hand locked up in themselves, the other door outside of themselves, because it is completely directed towards what others think of us and admire us. In proposing these requirements, the Lord Jesus did not require a formal compliance with a law alien to man, imposed by a legislature as severe heavy burden, but invites us to rediscover these three works of piety living them in a deeper way, not just for love but to love of God, as a means in the path of conversion to him alms, fasting and prayer: it is the path of the divine pedagogy that accompanies us, not only in Lent, leading to an encounter with the Risen Lord, to follow a path without ostentation in the knowledge that Heavenly Father knows how to read and see in the seclusion of our hearts.
Dear brothers and sisters, we start trusting and joyful route quaresimale. Quaranta giorni ci separano dalla Pasqua; questo tempo «forte» dell’anno liturgico è un tempo propizio che ci è donato per attendere, con maggiore impegno, alla nostra conversione, per intensificare l’ascolto della Parola di Dio, la preghiera e la penitenza, aprendo il cuore alla docile accoglienza della volontà divina, per una pratica più generosa della mortificazione, grazie alla quale andare più largamente in aiuto del prossimo bisognoso: un itinerario spirituale che ci prepara a rivivere il Mistero Pasquale.
Maria, nostra guida nel cammino quaresimale, ci conduca ad una conoscenza sempre più profonda di Cristo, morto e risorto, ci aid in the spiritual battle against sin, support us in calling loudly: "Converts nos, Deus salutaris noster " - "converted unto thee, O God, our salvation." Amen!
today, marked by the austere symbol of ashes, we enter in time of Lent, beginning a spiritual journey that prepares us to celebrate the Easter mysteries. The blessed ashes on our head tax is a sign that reminds us of our condition as creatures, invites us to repentance and conversion to step up efforts to follow the Lord more and more.
Lent is a journey, that rises to accompany Jesus to Jerusalem, site of the fulfillment of the mystery of his passion, death and resurrection reminds us that the Christian life is a "way "forward, consisting not so much a law to be observed, but in the person of Christ, to meet, to be welcomed, to follow. In fact, Jesus tells us: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9.23). It tells us, that is, that to come with him to the light and joy of the resurrection, the victory of life, love and goodness, that we ought to take up the cross each day, as calls us a nice page of ' Imitation of Christ : "Take, then, your cross and follow Jesus, so you will enter into eternal life. We preceded himself, carrying his cross (Jn 19:17) and died for you, so that you to bring your cross and I wanted to be crucified too. In fact, if you die with him, with him and like him live. If you have been the companion in suffering, you will be a companion in glory "(L . 2, c. 12, n. 2). In the Mass of the First Sunday of Lent we will pray: "O God our Father, with the celebration of this Lent, the sacramental sign of our conversion, grant to your faithful to grow in knowledge of the mystery of Christ and to bear witness to a worthy way of life "(Colletta ). E 'invocation that turn to God because we know that only He can change our heart. And it is especially in the liturgy, participation in the holy mysteries, that we are led to take this journey with the Lord, is a teaching from Jesus, to retrace the events that have brought us salvation, but not as a simple commemoration, a remembrance of past events. In liturgical celebrations, Christ is made present through the Holy Spirit, those saving events become current. There is a key word that occurs frequently in the liturgy to indicate this: the word "today" and it must be understood in the original sense and practical, not metaphorical. Today, God reveals His law and has given us today to choose between good and evil, between life and death (cf. Dt 30:19) and today "the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Gospel "(Mk 1.15); today that Jesus Christ died on Calvary and rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and is seated at the Father's right, today we are given the Holy Spirit today is a favorable time . Participating in the Liturgy, then, means immerse their lives in the mystery of Christ, in his permanent presence, take a journey in which we enter into His death and resurrection to have life.
On Sundays of Lent, in a special way this year liturgical cycle A, we are introduced to live a baptismal journey, as if to retrace the journey of the catechumens, those che si preparano a ricevere il Battesimo, per ravvivare in noi questo dono e per far in modo che la nostra vita recuperi le esigenze e gli impegni di questo Sacramento, che è alla base della nostra vita cristiana. Nel Messaggio che ho inviato per questa Quaresima , ho voluto richiamare il nesso particolare che lega il Tempo quaresimale al Battesimo. Da sempre la Chiesa associa la Veglia Pasquale alla celebrazione del Battesimo, passo per passo: in esso si realizza quel grande mistero per cui l’uomo, morto al peccato, è reso partecipe della vita nuova in Cristo Risorto e riceve lo Spirito di Dio che ha risuscitato Gesù dai morti (cfr Rm 8,11). Le Letture che ascolteremo nelle prossime domeniche e alle quali vi invito to pay special attention, are taken from their ancient tradition, which accompanied the catechumens in the discovery of Baptism are the good news of what God is in this Sacrament, a beautiful baptismal catechesis addressed to each of us. The First Sunday, called Sunday's tempting, because it presents the temptations of Jesus in the desert, invites us to renew our final decision to God and to courageously face the fight ahead to stay faithful. There is always a need for this new decision, to resist evil, to follow Jesus in the Church this Sunday, after hearing the testimony of godparents and catechists, celebrates the election of those who are admitted the Easter Sacraments. The Second Sunday is that of Abraham and the Transfiguration. Baptism is the sacrament of faith and of divine, like Abraham, the father of believers, we too are invited to leave, to go out from our land, to leave the security we have built, to put our trust in God, and the goal can be seen in the transfiguration of Christ, the beloved Son, in whom we become "sons of God." Is presented in the following Sunday Baptism in the images of water, light and life. The Third Sunday lets us meet the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4.5 to 42). Like Israel in the Exodus, we too have received the baptism in water that saves, Jesus, as he says to the Samaritan woman, has a water of life, extinguishing every thirst, and this water is its own spirit. The Church celebrates this Sunday in the first round of the catechumens during the week and gives them the Symbol: The Profession of Faith, the Creed. The Fourth Sunday makes us reflect on the experience of "blind man" (cf. Jn 9.1 to 41). In Baptism we are freed from the darkness of evil and receive the light of Christ to live as children of light. We too must learn to see the presence of God in the face of Christ and thus the light. In the journey of the catechumens is celebrated on the second ballot. Finally, the Fifth Sunday presents the resurrection of Lazarus (Cf. Jn 11.1 to 45). In Baptism we have passed from death to life and we are enabled to please God, to kill the old man to live by the Spirit of the Risen One. For catechumens is celebrated on the third ballot lasted a week and is delivered to them the Lord's Prayer: Our Father. "
This journey of Lent we are invited to walk in Lent is characterized, in the tradition of the Church by certain practices: fasting, almsgiving and prayer. Fasting means abstinence from food but includes other forms of deprivation for a more sober life. All this is not yet the full reality of fasting: is the outward sign of an inner reality, of our efforts, with the help of God, to abstain from evil and to live the Gospel. Not really fast if you can not feed on the Word of God
Fasting in the Christian tradition, is also closely linked to begging. St. Leo the Great taught in one of his speeches on Lent: "As every Christian is obliged to do at all times, must now practice with greater zeal and devotion, because it fulfills the norm of the apostolic Lenten fasting consistent not only abstinence from food but also and above all sins. These obligations and holy fasting, then, no work can be associated più utilmente dell’elemosina, la quale sotto il nome unico di ‘misericordia’ abbraccia molte opere buone. Immenso è il campo delle opere di misericordia. Non solo i ricchi e i facoltosi possono beneficare gli altri con l’elemosina, ma anche quelli di condizione modesta e povera. Così, disuguali nei beni di fortuna, tutti possono essere pari nei sentimenti di pietà dell’anima” ( Discorso 6 sulla Quaresima , 2: PL 54, 286). San Gregorio Magno ricordava, nella sua Regola Pastorale , che il digiuno è reso santo dalle virtù che l’accompagnano, soprattutto dalla carità, da ogni gesto di generosità, che dona the poor and needy the result of our deprivation (see 19.10 to 11).
Lent is also a special time for prayer. St. Augustine says that fasting and almsgiving are "two wings of a prayer," which allow it to more easily take its momentum and reach up to God, he says: "In this way our prayer of humility in and charity, fasting and nell'elemosina, in temperance and forgiveness of injuries, giving good things and not returning the bad and away from evil and doing good, seek peace and follows. With the wings of these virtues, our prayers fly safer and more easily is taken up into heaven, where Christ is our peace came before us "( Sermon 206, 3 on Lent: PL 38.1042). The Church knows that, for our weakness, it's hard to get to be silent before God, and become aware of our condition as creatures that depend on Him, and sinners in need of his love for this, Lent invites us to a prayer most loyal and intense and prolonged meditation on the Word of God St. John Chrysostom says: "Decorate your home with modesty and humility with the practice of prayer. Make your home beautiful with the light of justice, its walls adorned with good works as a film instead of pure gold and precious stones of the walls and places the supernatural faith and magnanimity, putting above all else, on top of the pediment, the pattern of prayer to the entire complex. So prepare a worthy dwelling place for God, so welcome him in a splendid palace. He will only allow you to transform your soul in the temple of his presence "(6 Homily on Prayer : PG 64.466).
Dear friends, in this Lenten journey we are careful to take the call of Christ to follow a more determined and consistent, renewing commitments and the grace of our baptism, to abandon the old man that is in us and clothed in Christ, giungere rinnovati per poter e alla Pasqua con san Paolo say "io non vivo più, my Cristo live in me" (Gal 2.20). Buon cammino quaresimali a voi tutti! Grazie!
Saluti:
I greet you with joy, dear French-speaking pilgrims, especially the young people! I invite you to take very seriously what Lent to live in a spirit of faith and make it a time of authentic conversion. By participating in the holy mysteries, you enjoy a drink at the fountain of living water in God! With blessing!
I welcome all the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from Ireland, Japan, South Korea and the United States. My special greeting goes to the priests and semi-Arians of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. With prayerful good wishes for a spiritually fruitful Lent, I cordially invoke upon you and your families God's blessings of joy and peace!
I cordially greet
the German-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially the diocesan committee of the diocese of Regensburg and the priesthood of Eichstätt Seminary, of course, the Surberg and Traunstein. I cordially thank the Allgäu Marching Band for their wonderful music. We walk with fasting, almsgiving and prayer the path of renewal in Christ, so that we can say with the Apostle Paul: "No longer I who live but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2.20). I wish you all a blessed Lent!
Saludo Cordialement a los de lengua española peregrinos, en particular a los grupos provenientes de España, México, Chile y otros países Latinoamericanos. Queridos amigos, en este camino cuaresmal, os invito a la invitación de Cristo Acoge de un modo más a seguirlo decidido y Coherent, renovando la gracia y los compromisos bautismales, para que revistiéndoos de Cristo, podáis llegar renovados a la Pascua y decir con san Pablo “ vivo yo, pero no soy yo, es Cristo quien vive en mí ” ( Gal 2, 20). Deseo a todos un santa Cuaresma.
Saúdo cordialmente os fiéis das paróquias de Calhariz do Benfica e Brandoa no Patriarcado de Lisboa, os professores e alunos das comunidades escolares das dioceses de Coimbra e do Porto e ainda o grupo de peregrinos, médicos e professores, de Guimarães. A vós e a todos os presentes de língua portuguesa desejo um caminho quaresmal abençoado, que vos permita encontrar, acolher e seguir mais de perto Jesus; e assim poderdes dizer, com São Paulo, «já não sou eu que vivo, que é Cristo vive em mim ". Obrigado pela presença Voss. Ide com Deus.
Saluto in lingua polacca:
cordial greetings to the Poles. Lent is a time sposobnym to strengthen our relationship with Christ and to imitate Him in sacrificial love. Resuming our baptismal commitment, Leave the old man, who is in us, and put on Christ, we live Passover renewed and ready to repeat St. Paul: "This is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Let Allah błogosławi!
Traduzione italiana:
Un cordiale saluto rivolgo ai polacchi. La Quaresima è il tempo opportuno per consolidare il nostro legame con Cristo e per seguirLo sulle vie dell’amore disposto al sacrificio. Accogliendo nuovamente gli impegni del nostro Battesimo, abbandoniamo l’uomo vecchio che è in noi e rivestiamoci di Cristo, per vivere la Pasqua rinnovati e pronti a ripetere con S. Paolo: “non vivo più io, ma Cristo vive in me”. Dio vi benedica!
Saluto in lingua croata:
Srdačno pozdravljam sve hrvatske hodočasnike, a osobito vjernike iz župe Svetog Antuna Padovanskog iz Sesvetskih Sela.
Dok započinjemo korizmeni hod, potičem vas, dragi prijatelji, da iskoristite ovo milosno vrijeme posta i molitve za osobno obraćenje i djela ljubavi. Hvaljen Isus i Marija!
Traduzione italiana:
Cordialmente saluto tutti i pellegrini Croati particolarmente i fedeli della parrocchia di Sant’Antonio di Padova in Sesvetska Sela. Cominciando il camino quaresimale, vi esorto, cari amici, ad approfittare di questo tempo favorevole di digiuno e di preghiera per la conversione personale e per le opere di carità. Siano lodati Gesù e Maria!
Saluto in lingua ungherese:
Isten hozta a magyar híveket, különösképpen azokat, akik Budapestről és Bodajkról érkeztek. Szeretettel köszöntelek Titeket.
Ma kezdődik nagyböjt időszaka. Negyven napon át a liturgia segít abban, hogy újra átélhessük megváltásunk titkát. A böjt és és az imádság egyesít bennünket Krisztussal, Aki az Atya akaratát teljesítve Önmagát adta a keresztfán.
Szívesen adom apostoli áldásomat Kedves Mindannyiotokra.
Dicsértessék to Krisztus Jezus!
Italian translation:
I greet with affection the Hungarian-speaking pilgrims, especially the groups that came from Budapest and Bodajk.
Today we begin Lent - forty days during which the liturgy will help us relive the mystery of our redemption. Through the sacrifice and prayer, we unite with Christ who does the will of the Father and gives himself the offer of the Cross. I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
greet in Slovakian:
greet pilgrims from Slovakia.
brothers and sister, the apostle Paul calls "In the name of Christ, you pray to God be reconciled with one another." At the beginning of Lent počujme this invitation, which is addressed to each of us happy and it nasledujme.
bless you with love.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Traduzione italiana:
Salute di cuore i Pellegrini provenienti dalla Slovacchia.
Fratelli e Sorelle, l'Apostolo Paolo Invite: "Vi supplichiamo in nome di Cristo: be reconciled to God "We feel the beginning of Lent this appeal addressed personally to each one of us and let's put it into practice with generosity. I bless you with affection.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
*
extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet you, Montecalvo Irpino faithful gathered here in memory of San Pompilio Maria Pirrotta, and I urge you to make a generous Christian witness everywhere, following in the footsteps of your patron and supported by the maternal intercession of Mary, whom you venerate the title of Our Lady of Abundance. I greet you with affection, pilgrims the parish of St Matthew in Asiago, and encourage you to faithfully follow Jesus and his Gospel, to be authentic Christians in the family and in any other environment. I greet the members of the "United World" and invite them to continue their generous commitment to projects of solidarity and peace.
I offer, finally, my greetings to the young, the sick and newlyweds. The Lenten season, which begins today, will lead each to a more intimate knowledge of Christ, for you in different situations where you are, have his own feelings and do everything in communion with him
time of grace that is given us to live together, renewed calls us to conversion, as always new is the gift of the ministerial priesthood, through which the Lord Jesus makes present in our lives and, through them, the lives of all people.
Conversion, Priests for us, means first of all to adapt more and more our lives to preaching that every day we are given to provide the faithful, becoming in this way, "songs of gospel living, which everyone can read and welcome.
The basis for such an attitude is, without doubt, the conversion to his own identity: we must be converted to what we are! The identity, sacramentally received and accepted by our wounded humanity, demand the gradual conformation of our hearts, our minds, our attitudes, everything that we are the image of Christ the Good Shepherd, who has been sacramentally imprinted in us.
We enter the mysteries we celebrate, especially in the Holy Eucharist, and they shape us, the Eucharist is the priest who rediscovers his identity! It is in celebration of the Divine Mysteries that one can see "how to" be shepherds and the "what" needs to be done to be truly at the service of others.
a de-Christianized world needs a new evangelization, but a new evangelization demands Priests 'new', certainly not in the direction of surface run every ephemeral fad, but in the heart of a profoundly renewed every Mass; renewed according to the measure of love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Priest and Good Shepherd.
Particularly urgent is the conversion from noise to silence, from care in "doing" to "be" with Jesus, participate more consciously in His being. Each ministry must always act echoes and expansion of what the priest is!
We must convert ourselves into communion, rediscovering what it really is: a communion with God and the Church, and in it, with his brothers. Ecclesial communion is fundamentally characterized by consciousness and experienced a renewed live and proclaim the same doctrine, the same tradition, the same story of holiness and, therefore, the same Church. We are called to live Lent with a deep sense of Church, rediscovering the beauty of being in an exodus of people, which includes all the clergy and all our people, who their pastors to see how reliable reference model and expects them renewed and luminous testimony.
We must be converted to daily participation in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. As he said, and realized perfectly that vicarious substitution, which has made our salvation possible and effective, so that every priest, alter Christus, is called as the great saints, to experience first hand the mystery of that exchange, the service brothers, especially in the faithful celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, sought for themselves and generously offered to the brothers, along with spiritual direction, and in the daily offering of one's life in reparation for the sins of the world. Penitent priests quietly before the Blessed Sacrament, able to bring the light of the wisdom of the Gospel and the Church in contemporary circumstances, which seem to challenge our faith, become actually true prophets, able, in turn, to launch the world the only real challenge : that's Gospel, which calls us to conversion.
Sometimes the fatigue is really great and we experience to be small compared to the needs of the Church. But if we do not convert, we will be less and less, because only a priest renewed, converted, "new" becomes the instrument through which the Spirit calls the new priests.
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles, let us entrust this Lenten journey, and ask the Divine Mercy, which the model of the heavenly Mother, our hearts become a priest " Refugium peccatorum .
If we forget the meaning of marriage, we forget what it means to be a human person, what it means to be a man or a woman
Protecting the definition of marriage is not merely permissible, but actually necessary as a matter of justice. Having laws that affirm the vital importance of mothers and fathers-laws that reinforce, rather than undermine, the ideal that children should be raised by their own mother and father-is essential for any just society. Those laws serve not only the good of the spouses and their children, but the common good.
[...] The Catholic Church and the message of authentic freedom which she proclaims is the only hope for this age being ravaged by a hungry darkness. In the wake of the absolute tragedy of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, unilaterally deciding on February 23, 2011 to no longer defend marriage, I awaited what kind of statement would come from our Bishops, now under the leadership of this great man, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops [...]. Here it is, true to form:
Archbishop Dolan Calls Refusal to Defend Defense of Marriage Act an 'Alarming and Grave Injustice'
"The announcement on February 23 that the President has instructed the Department of Justice to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is an alarming and grave injustice. Marriage, the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife, is a singular and irreplaceable institution. Only a man and a woman are capable of the "two-in-one-flesh" union of husband and wife. Only a man and a woman have the ability to bring children into the world. Along with that ability comes responsibility, which society historically reinforces with laws that bind mothers and fathers to each other and their children. This family unit represents the most basic and vital cell of any society, protecting the right of children to know and be known by, to love and be loved by, their mother and father. Thus, marriage represents the bedrock of the common good of society, its very foundation and future.
Contrary to the Attorney General's statement, DOMA does not single out people based on sexual "orientation" or inclination. Every person deserves to be treated with justice, compassion, and respect, a proposition of natural law and American law that we as Catholics vigorously promote. Unjust discrimination against any person is always wrong. But DOMA is not "unjust discrimination"; rather, it merely affirms and protects the time-tested and unalterable meaning of marriage. The suggestion that this definition amounts to "discrimination" is grossly false and represents an affront to millions of citizens in this country.
The decision also does not stand the test of common sense. It is hardly "discrimination" to say that a husband and a wife have a unique and singular relationship that two persons of the same sex-or any unmarried persons-simply do not and cannot have. Nor is it "discrimination" to believe that the union of husband and wife has a distinctive and exclusive significance worthy of promotion and protection by the state. It is not "discrimination" to say that having both a mother and a father matters to and benefits a child. Nor is it "discrimination" to say that the state has more than zero interest in ensuring that children will be intimately connected with and raised by their mother and father.
Protecting the definition of marriage is not merely permissible, but actually necessary as a matter of justice. Having laws that affirm the vital importance of mothers and fathers-laws that reinforce, rather than undermine, the ideal that children should be raised by their own mother and father-is essential for any just society. Those laws serve not only the good of the spouses and their children, but the common good. Those laws are now under relentless attack. If we forget the meaning of marriage, we forget what it means to be a human person, what it means to be a man or a woman. Have we wandered away so far in our society as to forget why men and women matter, and eroded the most central institution for our children and for our future?
The Administration's current position is not only a grave threat to marriage, but to religious liberty and the integrity of our democracy as well. Our nation and government have the duty to recognize and protect marriage, not tamper with and redefine it, nor to caricature the deeply held beliefs of so many citizens as "discrimination." On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I express my deep disappointment over the Administration's recent decision. I have written of these concerns to the President in separate correspondence, and I pray that he and the Department of Justice may yet make the right choice to carry out their constitutional responsibility, defending the irreplaceable institution of marriage, and in so doing protect the future generations of our children."
From "Letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, pope and martyr. ( Lib. 1, 1. 1-2. 5. 5, CSEL 33, 1-5)
We fixed his eyes on the blood of Christ, to understand how precious the sight of God his Father was shed for our salvation and brought al mondo intero la grazia della penitenza.
Passiamo in rassegna tutte le epoche del mondo e constateremo come in ogni generazione il Signore abbia concesso modo e tempo di pentirsi a tutti coloro che furono disposti a ritornare a lui. Noè fu l’araldo della penitenza e coloro che lo ascoltarono furono salvi.
Giona predicò la rovina ai Niniviti e questi, espiando i loro peccati, placarono Dio con le preghiere e conseguirono la salvezza. Eppure non appartenevano al popolo di Dio.
Non mancarono mai ministri della grazia divina che, ispirati dallo Spirito Santo, predicassero la penitenza. Lo stesso Signore di tutte le cose parlò della penitenza impegnandosi con giuramento: Com’è vero ch’io vivo - Says the Lord - no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but rather his repentance (cf. Ez 33, 11). Added more words full of goodness: Remove, O house of Israel, from your sins. Of 'the sons of my people, Though your sins from the earth touches the sky, were more red and scarlet, and blacks more of a hair shirt, as long as you convert all my heart and call me "Father", and I will deal as a saint and people will hear your prayer (cf. Is 1.18, 63.16, 64.7; Ger 3.4; 31.9).
Wanting to enjoy the blessings of conversion to those he loves, he put his will seal of the Almighty to his word. obey because of its magnificent and glorious will. Bow down before God, begging him to be merciful and kind.
Convertiamoci sincere in his love. We repudiate all the works of evil, any kind of discord and jealousy, cause of death. Therefore, we are humble in spirit, brethren. We reject every foolish boast, the pride, foolish pride and anger. We put into practice what is written.
says, in fact, the Holy Spirit: not the wise man boast of his wisdom, nor the rich in their riches, but who wants to boast, boast in the Lord, research and practice of law and justice (cf. Jer 9 0.22 to 23; 1 Cor 1:31). We remember especially the words of the Lord Jesus when he exhorted the meekness and patience: Be merciful obtain mercy: forgive, because you may be forgiven, how you treat others, you will be treated so you too will be donated and reciprocated, not judge, and will not be judged, be benevolent, and will experience the kindness, with the same measure with which you measured others, you too will be measured (cf. Mt 5, 7, 6, 14, 7, 1.2). We stand in this line and adhere to these commandments.
always walk with all humility in obedience to the holy words. He says a sacred text: Who will be laying my eyes if not on who is humble and peaceful and trembles at my word? (See Is 66, 2).
So, having lived large and prominent events, we run toward the goal of peace, prepared for us from the beginning. We fix our gaze firmly on the Father and Creator of the world, and aspire to his strongly to his wonderful gifts and unparalleled benefits.
d'Archeologia Sacra si rinnova. "Una task force per le cento catacombe d'Italia" (Carlo Carletti)
The Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology is renewed
A task force for the hundred catacombs of Italy
Carlo Carletti
For institutions successive seasons, which may be gray or bright, dynamic or static. To the Pontifical Commission for Archaeology the past year, five years after the deceleration has been marked by a strong revival of its institutional activity: a new season of action, concrete actions, proposals and projects for the immediate future , included in a broader context is to be placed symbolically virtuous sub temporibus antistitis Benedicti , secondo una formula già in uso nell'epigrafia romana dal tempo di Papa Giulio I (337-352).
Una nuova direzione di rotta, esito non casuale di un appropriato rinnovamento dei vertici dell'istituzione: un nuovo presidente, il cardinale Gianfranco Ravasi; un nuovo Segretario, monsignor Giovanni Carrù; l'inserimento di un soprintendente, Fabrizio Bisconti, cioè di una figura professionale - così come nelle istituzioni di tutela dei beni archeologici dello Stato italiano - specificamente destinata alla guida e al coordinamento delle attività e delle problematiche più propriamente archeologiche, connesse alla tutela, alla conservazione, alle indagini of that immense cultural heritage by more than one hundred Costituto catacombs of Rome and Italy.
In this view has been consistently involved in the renovation included the composition of the consultative body of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology , modified for two-thirds of its staff. I'm joined the archaeological and epigraphic (Hugo Brandenburg, Carlo Carletti, Jean Guyon) but also specialists in the history of the Church, Patristics, philology (Enrico dal Covolo, Angelo Di Berardino, Giovanni Maria Vian), which are added the components already designated in the past decade (Rosa Maria Carra, Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai, Antonio Baruffa).
In questa articolazione di competenze, rappresentata dalle nuove scelte, emerge significativamente l'acquisita lucida consapevolezza della complessità storico-culturale di un insediamento catacombale, come "evento monumentale" specificamente cristiano nel suo carattere di spazio sepolcrale non conclusus, cioè "aperto" - dunque ideologicamente né gentilizio né corporativo ma comunitario - coerentemente inserito nella dimensione temporale che gli appartiene, che è quella fertilissima della tarda antichità.
Ed è in questo panorama storico-culturale che la comunità dei cristiani - anche attraverso i propri burial sites and practices, and devices connected to them - gradually begins to reveal its innovative and dynamic role in society of the time. Christians are not hiding in the catacombs and the specious idea is pure legend, meta-apologetics and openly, that the Roman authorities know of their existence. The broad concept of "criptocristianesimo" that so fascinated and influenced many scholars of the past, in his monumental evidence can be found the most illuminating and effectively denied.
It is therefore difficult to understand how a historical testimony of the many must necessarily be kept in the catacombs use an extensive and specialized range of integrated skills that ensure the protection, conservation and awareness. And actually the more in-depth historical and archaeological survey of the last fifty years has highlighted how the plurality of records kept in the catacombs is a veritable repository of historical knowledge, stored in a level playing field and chronologically defined.
A multitude of information that, through the production and epigraphic figurative, the grave goods, body types and characteristics of the burials and related arrangements for the funeral ritual, reflect - albeit indirectly - the processes through which passed the birth and formation of the Christian church in the centuries of Late Antiquity. This means approaching - also through the induced archaeological - the varied and multiple ecclesial aspects of daily life and therefore, mentalities, collective imagination, habits, attitudes, or in dialectical relationship of tension with the different levels of continuity or change in traditional Roman.
The concept of "historical" legitimately attributable to the universe-the catacombs, would prove to be pure abstraction in the absence of secular care (since 1851) secured to the catacombs by the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, which, especially at times of dynamism - like the current one - has successfully worked to preserve and make available an "open book" as what historians - but also ordinary visitors if properly guided and informed - they can see, read and understand descending into the bowels of the catacombs of Rome and Italy.
The specific terms of this overall action have emerged in the final of the activity in 2010, presented at the plenary meeting of 21 February 2011: an institutional meeting - already included in chirograph of Pius IX - which had almost lost memory, because it no longer called from back in 2004, as he recalled with generous indulgence, but no puns, President Cardinal Ravasi in his opening speech.
During the past year the Commission's work has appeared in all its operational capabilities, with numerous and often complex interventions both in the catacombs of Rome and those of other sites in Italy. The problems faced are typical of the scope of monuments underground, where, besides the obvious damage caused by the inevitable passage of time, responsible for structural failure and instability, there is the insidious change in the microclimate of the original environment, caused by frequent visitors - very intense, especially in Rome - and sometimes by the presence of infiltration of stormwater and sewage fognari, nonché dalla insidiosa penetrazione delle radici della vegetazione sovrastante gli ambienti sotterranei.
L'incidenza, spesso sincronica, di questi fattori genera danni - talvolta irreversibili se non preventivamente valutati - ai reperti costituzionalmente più fragili, come le pitture ad affresco, alle quali il personale specialistico della Commissione ha riservato particolare attenzione, con un monitoraggio sistematico per la prevenzione e, laddove necessario, con operazioni di restauro e consolidamento.
In questa direzione risultati eccellenti sono stati raggiunti negli interventi sugli affreschi delle catacombe Domitilla: The entire plant decorative cubicle "bakers" and dell'arcosolio of "apostles small" regained complete readability even in details. In the cemetery on the way to Decimum Labicana the frescoes of the traditio legis, and the presbyter, brought the problem - not uncommon - the restoration of a previous restoration obviously poorly done: specifically the operations of the past - inspired by the malicious and now fully addressed criterion of "reconstruction" - were arbitrarily changed the characteristics of the figures painted themselves. In these operations were of course used the latest techniques of intervention, conceptually guided by the principle of so-called "minimum intervention". These same intervention procedures will be followed in the monumental Catacombs of San Gennaro in Naples Capodimonte with the launch of a large and complex project for the conservation and restoration of numerous frescoes and mosaics, profoundly altered by the penetration tunnel of rainwater and sewage is not channeled into the sewage system. Initiative particularly challenging year in which the Commission will act in consultation and in collaboration with the Interregional public works of Molise and Campania, as delegated by the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Culture.
special attention, the Commission also reserved the catacombs of Italy: the current state thirty-six settlements, generally small to medium size, located in Tuscany, Latium, Abruzzi, Campania, Sicily, in the western and eastern Sardinia. To these may be added in the near future ones - not yet available in the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology - located in Canosa (availability being formalized), Monteleone Sabino, Sutri, Anagni, Formello, Bolsena ("Le Grotte"), Avellino , Capua Vetere, Pianosa.
A monumental heritage of great consistency still little known, managed by the Pontifical Commission for the specially constituted through local inspectors. These peripheral units in 2010 have made ordinary and extraordinary maintenance and, where possible, archaeological survey, in the catacombs of Monte Stallone at Formello, Santa Cristina in Bolsena, Villa San Faustino in Massa Martana, Santa Caterina and Santa Mustiola Chiusi and, in Italy islands, in Syracuse cemeteries of Saint Lucia, Vigna Cassia, St. John and in the catacombs of Palermo Villagrazia Carini.
Over the centuries, the catacombs have gone through various vicissitudes which, among other effects, have caused a substantial loss of material, piled up in the past often without a whistleblower policy, without the appropriate cleaning and maintenance that the materials moving require. In this process, the Commission has planned a systematic campaign of close monitoring with a view to, where possible, accommodation or relocation of museum materials in their monumental contexts of belonging: what is in progress for many centuries the marble finds III -VII from the extensive catacomb of Priscilla and intended to be exposed in the context cemetery basilica of San Silvestro.
In their original context they belong return - after a thorough cleaning and reconstruction performed in the laboratory - the inscriptions from dall'ipogeo "mixed" (ie with pagan and Christian burials) of Trebius Right on Via Latina.
parallel with the primary activities of protection and conservation, the Commission continued the archaeological survey course, often caused by improvised events, as in the case of tunnels probably related to the cemetery of San Lorenzo, accidentally came to light in the square of the Verano during the laying of underground electric cables, or, as in the Catacombs of St. Agnes on the Via Nomentana, the need to free up some galleries distressed by the presence of invasive material is accumulated at summary action taken in the nineteenth and twentieth century, during which it still uses the undesirable pratica di riempire ambienti già noti e accessibili con le terre estratte dalle gallerie in corso di scavo.
Ma accanto a questi lavori direttamente funzionali alla tutela e alla conservazione sono proseguite anche le indagini strategiche, cioè espressamente mirate alla conoscenza storica di nuove realtà monumentali, come quelle tuttora in corso - su concessione del ministero dei Beni culturali e in collaborazione con la cattedra di Archeologia cristiana dell'università di Roma Tor Vergata - nella monumentale basilica circiforme della via Ardeatina che hanno consentito di riportare alla luce un nuovo settore della navata centrale e del deambulatorio. In questa stessa direzione - in collaborazione con l'École Française de Rome and the University of Bordeaux 1 - anthropological investigations have been undertaken on the skeletons deposited in the deeper layers of polyandry (collective graves) more returns in the central region of the catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus on the Via Labicana.
The cultural value of an institution is also about the preservation of the history of its activity and its ability to maintain complete and available, even in the long term, all the "hidden job", no longer visible in finished work "on "achievements": the relationship of the excavation, reconnaissance, surveys, monitoring of the work sheets, notes - which are also useful - drawn a caldo con le impressioni e le suggestioni del momento, le riproduzioni fotografiche e a disegno. Una miniera di informazioni che spesso si rivelano preziosissimi supporti documentari per la ricostruzione della storia delle scoperte e anche, rispetto allo stato attuale, dei diversificati livelli di conservazione delle strutture e dei materiali.
Tutte queste informazioni sono oggi disponibili in formato elettronico in uno specifico sito della Pontificia Commissione di Archeologia Sacra, nel quale si possono agevolmente consultare e studiare i verbali delle riunioni plenarie e gli indispensabili - per la scienza archeologica - Giornali degli Scavi dal 1851 a oggi.
Non solo un dossier dal puro valore memorial - to be retained, however, with the utmost care - but also an indispensable aid for archaeological research and historiography, which integrates itself with another major initiative: the indexing information in the possession of huge photographic documentation of the institution, now at an altitude of 40,000 units, which for the part relating to the entries will fit - through a special link - the specific database information on-line Christian inscriptions of Rome (Epigraph Databank Bari) included in the international consortium EAGLE (Electronic Archive of Greek and Latin Epigraphy).
Among the rarities preserved in this collection of photographic reproductions and graphics have a "cameo", worthy of special mention: the photographic plates of glass are made by John-Henry Parker was commissioned by Giovanni Battista de Rossi in the catacombs of Generosa and St. Alexander, when the light needed to impress plates was carried underground through a series of mirrors arranged in sequence in the skylights. Historically invaluable documents of a technologically distant past, that recall the pioneering experiments of plastically photographic reproduction undertaken by the founding father of the archeology of the catacombs.
