Vincenzo Schilirò'
 The brontese Vincenzo
Schilirò, (1.7.1883 --
Catania 7.3.1950) priest, professor, was a singular figure of sociologist,
critical, scholar and poet.
He studies at the Real Capizzi College obtaining the high school certificate in
1898; continues the studies in the Seminary Of Catania, where in 1906 is
ordained priest; he graduates in the Royal University Of Catania in 1912, at
twenty-nine years of age, with a thesis on the Carduccian belief.
He taught for a decade Italian letters in the Secondary school Of The Real
Capizzi College and in the sleepy Bronte he was appreciated for his volcanic social and educational
initiatives.
Founded, in various
times, four newspapers, an Agricultural Bank, a cultural
circle and a typography, (the glorious Social
Typography, publisher of a great deal of books, of mostly
local authors).
He adhered to the Popular Party and the new
tendencies, in the social field, expressed by the modernism and not seen
favorably by Pope Pius X, reason for which he moved away from the church, without however
stopping to wear the cassock.
The art, poetry, aesthetic
criticism were the field where he could better express his lively intelligence.
But his first experiences were of publicist with the humorous sheet "U
Trabanti" (a jumble of dog Latin and vernacular), with the
periodic "Protagonist" (who after the sentence inflicted by Pius X°
in
1907 ceased to exist), the fortnightly "Domani" (Tomorrow) (of
political administrative character, turned to give a contribution to the
organization of the brontese farmers), with "Nuova Juventus"
(destined
to the pupils of the Capizzi) and at last, the direction (together with Pietro
Mignosi) of the literary magazine "The tradition".
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Withdrawn
from teaching for health reasons, he moves to Catania and in his
habitation of Via Morosoli continues the literary production.
Died at 67 years following a cerebral
hemorrhage.
He is buried in the family chapel of the Bronte's cemetery.
Among his works we remember Aesthetics notes
(1924, Bronte), The Romanticism and "the
pedantic friends" (1912, Bronte), The
aesthetic reasons of the dannunziana art (1918, Catania), Carducci's belief and his value (1918, Bronte), F.
T. Marinetti and the futurism (1919, Catania), How
I see Pirandello, Freedom and democracy (Seli,
Rome).
Published works in verses: Sad spring, (1912, Bronte), Santo Francesco, (1931,
Bronte), lyric short stories (Who sows but does not reap); two dramas: The culprit,
(1919 Bronte), Il carroccio (The wagon, 1931 Bronte) and a comment to Divine Comedy of Dante in three volumes, by now
unobtainable. |
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Francesco
Boscarino (in the preface to the book of the Schilirò "The
venerable Ignazio Capizzi", Bronte 1993 ) speaks
so:
"It is enough to run
the list of his works to realize the vastness of his interests".
From the translation in verses of "Arte poetica di Orazio" (Horace's Poetic
Art), written at eighteen years of age, but published in 1910, to the essays on
poets contemporary to him, (Carducci, D’Annunzio, Ada Negri, F. T.
Marinetti)
to the drama "Santo Francesco", which represents, in five
acts, the events of the life of the Saint from 1207 to his death
(1226), to the novel "Jadwiga" (1946), to mention some of
his works, that show versatility and a variety of cultural dedication,
emerges the figure of a man of solid literary preparation and of
artistic fineness, that is not easy to find".
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