An important scientific research on the Via Francigena has recently been released: a book called “Vie Romee. Dall’Altomedievale Via Francigena alla pluralità di percorsi romipeti del basso Medioevo” (“Roads to Rome. From the Early Middle Ages Via Francigena to the plurality of paths to Rome in the late Middle Ages”), written by Prof. Renato Stopani, Director of the Centro Studi Romei in Florence.
This work of valuable historic value also establishes an important collaboration between the Centro Studi Romei, founded in Florence in 1985, and the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (EAVF). From the Via Francigena route to the network of itineraries: the publication studies routes’ history, starting from the early medieval paths to Rome to the Via Flaminia, the most oriental of the routes. This scientific contribution comes at the end of the year full of discussions on the topic of the routes to Rome and marked by the extension of the official Via Francigena path in the South.
The EAVF President Massimo Tedeschi underlines in the book’s preface: “25 years after the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe certification (1994) of the Via Francigena (two thousand kilometers from Canterbury to Rome); in conjunction with the important conference of Monte Sant’Angelo “Francigena: way to Rome, Santiago, Jerusalem” (11-13 October 2019) and with the ratification of the extension of the itinerary from Rome to Apulia (on the way to Jerusalem) by the General Assembly of the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways – another thousand kilometers (Bari, 18 October 2019) and at the start of the application process for UNESCO World Heritage List, Renato Stopani’s work on the “Vie Romee” assumes a crucial historical importance of the Via Francigena and the rediscovery of its universal value.”
“The routes of the Via Francigena, or the Vie Francigene or rather the Vie Romipete / Roads to Rome – to phrase with Stopani’s terminology – have an exemplary character since they are travelled north by pilgrims heading to Santiago and south by those heading to Rome, Jerusalem and Monte Sant’Angelo, – reminds MassimoTedeschi: “This route is Roman, Jerusalem, Compostellan, Michaelian and Nicolaian at the same time. Modern pilgrimage becomes a splendid way to recover and investigate memory, authenticity, spirituality, common values, identity, social participation and inclusion. That is why the work of Stopani, yet another important study, is a very useful tool to affirm this renewed relationship between the roads and goals of history and today’s journey. “
The book, with the afterword by Sandro Polci, Director of the European Festival Vie Francigene, Cammini, Ways, Chemins which celebrates its 10th edition in 2020, is published by the Centro Studi Romei in collaboration with the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways, the supporter of the initiative.
For more information see Centro Studi Romei http://www.centrostudiromei.eu/
