UNA STATUA DEL SANTO, MA NON SOLO, PARTE DA PADOVA PER L’AFRICA ORIENTALE IL 15 MARZO 1936

In the years 1935-1937, during the conquest and occupation of Ethiopia, Italy is crossed by a wave of colonial exaltation that pervade all components of society including the Catholic communities and religious orders. This micro-story describes the context and specific events related to the dispatch to Eastern Africa of a statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, is based largely on the sources of the Archives of the Italian Province of Saint Anthony of Padua of the Conventual Franciscan Friars and investigates the central role played by the rector of the basilica del Santo, Fr. Giacomo Gorlatto ofmconv, who corresponds with the leaders of the Fascist Confederation of Agricultural Workers, with Institutions and fascist hierarchs, with the Royal resident of Quo`ram, with the confreres and with the italian and eritrean Catholic hierarchies. The devotion and charisma of Saint Anthony are declined in a colonial key, i.e., through his statue the Saint will not fail to bring down his blessings and thus help the work of civilization favored by the glorious italian conquest.