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FRA ORAZIO DELLA PENNA ASSOCIATION |
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ORAZIO PROJECT Fra Orazio Olivieri from Pennabilli was not only a great missionary but also a keen expert who succeeded in learning and handling an unknown language, who translated some of its most important texts and wrote its dictionary and grammar. He explored Tibet religion and civilization and started a peaceful co-existence between two cultures. Even when intolerance was bringing an end to the mission, he tried everything to avoid any kind of violent opposition. In this respect Fra Orazio represents quite a good example of the great importance of the encounter of cultures and religions always respecting the different identities. The XIV Dalai Lama confirmed this when, during his exile, he decided to visit Pennabilli in 1994, the town from where ‘Lama White Head’ left many years before.The huge value of his works, first of all his dictionary, is still to be fully recognised. Many findings of the mission, as the Tibetan types, the gifts Clemente XII and the VII Dalai Lama gave each other, the portrait of Fra Orazio Olivieri realized in 1738 by the Italian painter Giovanni Bistolli, the traces of the monastery built in Lhasa, the exact place where he was buried, might be found so to have further information about the history of Fra Orazio and of the Christian mission in Tibet. The association is engaged in raising funds for: 1) An in depth research on the Tibetan dictionary that could be brought on by experts and university researchers or by Italian or foreign orientalists. 2) The research for information and for further documents related to the history of the Christian mission of the XVIII century in Tibet 3) Publication of unpublished material. 4) Organization of events, conferences, films, documentaries and hypermedia. WHAT HAVE WE DONEFrom the copper engraving by Pietro Santi from Rimini, maybe around 1780, our association realized (in the year 2000) a precious printed edition of 120 copies on the hand-made paper of Franco Conti, an expert paper manufacturer. The printing and the engraving restoration were realized by Vincenzo Tiboni of the ‘Stamperia Posterula’ in Urbino. With an 80 euro contribution you can become a member of the ‘Fra Orazio della Penna Association’ for the year 2004/2005. All members will be given an original printout of the engraving. WHAT ARE WE DOINGLhasa Bell project A bell was transported with great effort through continents by some Capuchin fathers in XVIII century from Italy to Lhasa and preserved for nearly two centuries by the members of another religion. It was found in Jokhang (Lhasa) in the early nineties. The 4th of August 2004, Elio Marini, together with Federico Marini, Gianpaolo Proni and Claudio Cardelli, took some detailed pictures of the bell in Lhasa and realized a silicon rubber mould of it. Thanks to these data it was possible to realize a plaster model of the bell that will be used to build a Twin Bell in bronze. The latter will be placed in Pennabilli, over the Roccione to honour fra' Orazio, and to witness the knowledge and the mutual respect of all religions. HOW CAN YOU HELP ‘ORAZIO PROJECT’Lhasa Bell is the research project on Fra Orazio Olivieri for the year 2004/2005. Institutions, businesses and individuals who want to support this research in any way can address themselves to the following e-mail addresses: Fra Orazio della Penna Association o_orazio@yahoo.it c/o Elio Marini eliomarini@yahoo.it
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