Tosti, Luigi

TOSTI, LUIGI. - Benedictine abbot and historian, b. in Naples on 13 February 1811, d. at Montecassino on 21 September 1897. After completing his studies at Montecassino, he became a monk there, pronouncing his vows in February 1832.

A professor of mathematics and physics and then of theology in the schools of the Cassinese abbey, he simultaneously devoted himself to historical studies, publishing in 1842 a Storia di Montecassino which had cost him long years of research. He also planned the publication of a historical-literary review, L'Ateneo italiano, to which the best Italian writers of the time were to have contributed, but the Bourbon censorship refused authorization, alarmed by the patriotic spirit that pervaded the T.'s Storia. Within a few years he dictated a Storia di Bonifacio VIII, a Storia della Lega Lombarda, a Salterio del soldato and, in 1848, an occasional piece Il Veggente del sec. XIX, to exalt Gioberti's neo-Guelph program of an Italian federation under the presidency of the Pope.

In 1849 he appealed directly to Pius IX, then in exile at Gaeta, to return to Rome spontaneously, as universal shepherd of souls, renouncing temporal power; he negotiated, without authorization, with the minister of France to prevent the military expedition against the Roman Republic and deluded himself that he could act as mediator between the Pontiff and Mazzini: for this activity, having come under suspicion of the Neapolitan authorities, he had to move for some time to Tuscany. Having returned to Montecassino, he published successively, between 1850 and 1860, a volume on Abelard, the Storia del Concilio di Costanza, the Storia dello scisma greco, La Contessa Matilde e i Pontefici romani, the Prolegomeni alla st. univ. della Chiesa, and the Ricordi biblici. After the annexation of the Mezzogiorno to the Kingdom of Italy - which he greeted with the liveliest enthusiasm - the T. began to work for what remained thereafter the supreme ideal of his life, the reconciliation between State and Church. The first attempt, carried out in 1861 through Costantino Nigra and in which Cavour also took an interest, had no result, but he did not for this reason renounce his efforts and renewed them in 1863, in 1865 (on the occasion of the Vegezzi mission to Rome for the solution of the problem of the vacant sees in the Italian episcopate) and then again in 1868, at the time of the marriage of Prince Umberto to Margherita. The T. was of the opinion that to resolve the Roman question it was enough - outside of any political negotiation - to favor a personal meeting between the Pontiff and the King, possibly in the mystical setting of Montecassino. A romantic dream, to which he returned also in 1878, when he opened negotiations with Benedetto Cairoli, who had succeeded Depretis in the presidency of the Council. Rather discouraged by the failure of the new attempt - which appeared, moreover, more serious than the previous ones because of the prime minister's involvement and the participation in the negotiations of abbot Pappalettere, prior of S. Nicola di Bari - he linked his name to the most sensational episode in the history of the Roman question, that of 1887, which gave him international renown. Taking occasion from Leo XIII's allocution of 28 February, in which it was hoped «that there might finally be the will and the ability to do justice to the just claims (of the Apostolic See)», the T. published in May the famous pamphlet La Conciliazione, hoping for the re-establishment of peace between the Vatican and the Quirinal on the occasion of the Pontiff's priestly jubilee, which was to be celebrated the following year. The pamphlet, which - as was revealed later - had been discussed by the T. with Francesco Crispi, then in power, and was said, though wrongly, to be authorized by Leo XIII himself, caused an enormous impression throughout Italy: all the more vast and favorable in that a few days later (23 May) the Pope expressed in Consistory the wish that «the fateful dissension (of Italy) with the Roman Pontiff might finally be removed, while however the justice and dignity of the Apostolic See remained unharmed». But the hopes then aroused were very soon frustrated both by the agitation of Freemasonry in the press and in Parliament, and by the intransigence of certain ecclesiastical circles, which found vigorous support - so it appeared - in the diplomatic action of some power (especially France), opposed to the settlement of the dissension between State and Church. There followed in July a clear Vatican stance that disavowed the T.'s pamphlet, and he submitted in a disciplined manner, tendering his resignation - which the Pope however rejected - as vice archivist of the S. R. C. For his part Crispi gave himself over to iniquitous measures against the pontificate (the telegraphic dismissal of the mayor of Rome, Torlonia, who had brought the citizens' greetings for the papal jubilee to the cardinal vicar, etc.) and the rupture between State and Church again became particularly acute.

The T. resumed his studies and wrote a Vita di s. Benedetto, which was the last of his works. But he again pursued his ideal of pacification in 1890, addressing himself to Msgr. Strossmayer (v.) so that he might suggest to the Vatican the opportunity of concluding a Treaty with Italy under the auspices of the Central Empires. The death of the T., which followed in 1897, was greeted with emotion by the press of all parties for the merit he had acquired in keeping alive among Italians the faith in the possibility of a reconciliation between Church and State.

Renzo U. Montini