The Codex Rossanensis at the Quiriniale
On occasion of the visit of Pope Francis to the President of the republic Giorgio Napolitano, the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis was the real honour guest .
On November 14th , the magnificent state rooms of the Quirinale, residence of the italian President, were the scenery of an unprecedented political, cultural and spiritual event : in this date Pope Francis payed his first official visit to Giorgio Napolitano ( http://youtu.be/XwXFlQV4UPA ) ( http://youtu.be/KOrJ1LlmSwo )
This is the first time ever the Codex is exhibited after the long restoration made at the ICRCPAL (Institute for restoration and preservation of archive and book Heritage) directed by Mrs. Cristina Misiti ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnHOJYF5MTg ).
The ancient evangeliary dating IV-VI cent, whose name comes from the reddish colour of its illuminated pages, decorated in silver and gold. Without any doubt the Codex is the most important masterpiece of Byzantine Rossano ( http://youtu.be/E9Rm_yZNfbU ) ( http://youtu.be/uMSBTn7jiBM )
The idea of 'lending', for one day, the precious manuscript sprung from a meeting in Rome, on 17th September, between archbishop Santo Marciano, his secretary don Santo Battaglia , don Nando Ciliberti, director of the diocese's artistic Heritage and don Pasquale Madeo , admninistrative of the diocese's economy, along with prof. Louis Godart, councellor for Italy's artistic heritage . The meeting took place during the last sessions of the dossier on the Codex, Memory of the world, whose candidature is already under exam at the UNESCO in Paris.
Rossano's pearl, as world-wide known, is a crossroad between eastern and western worlds.
Known to art experts and scholars, the Codex Purpureus, kept in the diocesan museum of sacred art, was exhibited, after the long restoration in the sumptuous Quirinale state rooms ( last exhibition of the Codex was in 1996 in Venice - Palazzo Grassi 'greeks in the west' ). Such event casued a great commotion among the clergy and the rossanese people.
Mons Santo Marciano, who has always had a special flair for the rich cultural Heritage of the diocese Rossano-Cariati, is now leaving Rossano since he was appointed as guide of the italian military corpse. He left his diocese the last priceless gift, the candidature of the Codex at the UNESCO as world Heritage. Such candidature has been supported by eminent personalities such as : Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Mr Bray minister for cultural Heritage and tourism , by the minister of foreign affairs Emma Bonino, by the italian Ambassador at the UNESCO see in Rome Lucio Alberto Savoia, by the Osservatore for the Holy See at the UNESCO in Paris and Mons. Francesco Follo along with dr. Vincenzina Lo Monaco , new italian Ambassador at the the central UNESCO see in Paris.
