Faithful to the usual annual appointment, the International “Cassiodorus the Great” Award returns with “Cassiodorus Day” – a cultural and religious event – awarded to personalities who distinguished themselves in the various sectors practiced by the famous Calabrian monk who lived in the 6th century, who was a politician, diplomat, biblical scholar, musicologist, founder of monasteries, entrepreneur and, for whom, the beatification process is underway. Indeed, two days have been scheduled for the event which will have as its backdrop the cathedral and the episcope of Modena on Saturday 12 October, and, the following day, Sunday 13 October, the Monastery of San Silvestro in Nonantola. Many well-known participants were invited, in various capacities, to the initiative.
The first cassiodorea day promoted by the association of the same name presided over by the Pauline priest Don Antonio Tarzia, with the patronage of the Municipality of Modena, the Archdiocese of Modena and Nonantola, the Giacomo Alberione Cultural Center and the support of the Dedoni Company, will be marked by three moments. The first, at 4 pm, a paraliturgy in the cathedral of Modena presided over by the archbishop Msgr. Erio Castellucci, vice president of the CEI, which will be followed by speeches by Don Tarzia, the essayist Marco Roncalli, the secretary of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archeology Monsignor Carlo Dell’Osso; of the president of the Pontifical Theological Academy the bishop mons. Antonio Staglianò. The second, at 6.30 pm in the Episcopio Hall in Corso Duomo for the award ceremony presided over by Don Roberto Ponti, vice-president of the Cassiodorea association, which will see the awarding of the bishops, Msgr. Castellucci and Msgr. Staglianò; the starred chef Massimo Bottura; the founder of the «Nomads» Beppe Carletti, the senator Franco Bonferroni, while two tributes «to the memory» will go to the Masters Luciano Pavarotti and Alberto Schiavi. This will be followed, in the same venue, at 8pm, by the presentation of the “Honour of Merit” friendship plaques to two of the most important news organizations in our country: the newspaper “Il Corriere della sera” in the person of its director Luciano Fontana, and the weekly «Famiglia Cristiana» in the person of the director Don Stefano Stimamiglio; and at the Military Academy of Modena, in the person of Davide Scalabrin, the Army general who with his complaints put an end to the harassment perpetrated in that environment.
The event will continue the next day in nearby Nonantola where at 8.30 am, in the Monastery of San Silvestro, the round table «Cassiodoro and Sant’Anselmo Abate» will begin. Moderated by the journalist Giovanni Gazzaneo, it will see the discussion of various speakers: Don Alberto Zironi, archpriest of Nonantola; Maria Gloria Riva, professor of art history; Maria Antonietta Crippa, professor of history of architecture; Don Riccardo Fangarezzi, director of the Archives and Abbey Library of Nonantola; Guglielmo Nardocci, journalist; Agnese Bellieni, literature teacher. In conclusion, the second part of the presentation of the “Honour of Merit” friendship plaques also took place in Nonantola: to the Panini publishing company in the person of its Managing Director Lucia Panini; to the memory of Don Arrigo Beccari, the “Righteous” who with his parishioners in Nonantola, between ’42 and ’43, saved a group of about a hundred Jewish children and young people who had taken refuge in Villa Emma (he will be handed over to Don Zironi) ; to the Tortellante association, in the person of Erika Coppelli, president of this now well-known therapeutic and enabling laboratory where young people and adults on the autistic spectrum learn to produce fresh handmade pasta. Over the two days there will be various musical moments. In Modena the «Nomadi», and the «Mitici Angioletti» choir, directed by Francesca Polli; in Nonantola the two established musicians Franco Fasano and Max Tagliata. Satisfaction was expressed by the president of the Cassiodoro Association, Don Tarzia, «for the enthusiasm with which the archdiocese and the municipalities of Modena and Nonantola wanted to host the event which in the name of the great intellectual monk, allows giving visibility to those they gave their best in the areas in which he worked many centuries ago: and the names chosen speak for themselves.” «This year then – considering the context» – added Don Tarzia – «it was right to compare Cassiodoro with the figure of the Lombard abbot who founded the Nonantola Abbey. The long-awaited conference is dedicated to them – an aspect not to be forgotten – to two great men of action and thought also destined for the altars: one already recognized as a saint – Anselm -, the other, Cassiodorus, for whom the case is open of beatification”.
