The Word and Music

Last night, in the intimate setting of the Cloister of Santa Maria in Via, we had the pleasure of attending the 769th Feast of Santa Maria in Via, organized by Rector Father Moreno Versolato together with the Religious Community of the Church of Santa Maria in Via.

The evening, entitled “The Word and Music”, featured the participation of biblical scholar Rosanna Virgili who, with expertise and remarkable grace, narrated and commented on the episode of “The Wedding at Cana” from the Gospel of John, the subject of Giotto’s celebrated fresco in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua and Paolo Veronese’s oil on canvas preserved in the Louvre in Paris.

The Trio of Officina Filarmonica, consisting of Lodovico Bertuzzi on violin, Lucia Casinelli on flute, and Rocco Sbardella on bass clarinet, accompanied the biblical narration with music by Haydn, Mozart, and Vivaldi.

A particularly moving evening, also thanks to the exhibition of works by Gianluca Costantini, the Italian artist and author of a series of drawings of great emotional impact, which recount with disarming simplicity and effectiveness the tragedy unfolding in Gaza. “Christ Died in Gaza” is the title of one of these works, which has become an emblem of the “Priests Against Genocide” network, who recently marched in prayer in Rome to denounce the massacre of civilians.

The Word of the Gospel of John – with the symbolism of the miracle of water transformed into wine – led the audience to reflect on the need to reaffirm humanity, against the inhumanity represented by the tragedy of war, which is bringing about the extermination of the Palestinian people.

We are proud to have been able to take part with our music, a universal language and a hope for peace.