Un Santo scrive ai Santi: il caso Illustrissimi di Albino Luciani

In 1976 Venice’s patriarch Albino Luciani collects and prints some imaginary letters that he wrote for “Il Messaggero di Sant’Antonio” in the previous years (1971-1975). The title of this collection is Illustrissimi. Lettere ai Grandi del passato which will be reviewed and republished several times until 1978, when the author died. In 1978 Luciani became Pope Giovanni Paolo I and since last September Luciani has been beatified. The addressee of these letters are several authors, literary characters, biblical figures and seven saints (Saint Bernardo abbot of Chiaravalle, Saint Bernardino from Siena, Saint Francesco from Sales, Santa Teresa from Lisieux, Saint Bonaventura, Saint Luca Evangelist, Saint Teresa from Avila). The last letter is “sent” to Jesus. Literature itself plays an important role in these letters, for its linked communication. Jean Guitton said that he found a “taste” in Luciani’s Illustrissimi. This taste recalls the sense of wisdom, science and wittiness that belonged to the works and words of that incomparable pastor. His mix of humor and love is similar to the one of his favourite authors, Dickens and Mark Twain. My speech is about Pope Luciani’s literary work and it will focus on the analysis of the letters sent to the Saints from a narrative perspective.