The Roman Question in Latin America: Italian unification and the development of a transatlantic Ultramontane movement

ABSTRACT

The unification of Italy is one the events of the nineteenth century which resonated within the international public sphere of the time. The religious dimension of these events contributed decisively to their internationalization. In this context, this essay will analyze the impact of the Roman Question in Latin America. I will examine how the Latin American faithful were informed of what was occurring in Italy, both from the pulpit and through the press. I will also show how descriptions of the situation of the pope sought to create empathy among the faithful, and to develop emotional bonds with the Holy See. Finally, this article studies the role of papal diplomacy, the prelates, and other local actors in the promotion of displays of solidarity with Pope Pius IX. The Roman Question contributed decisively to the diffusion of Ultramontanism in Latin America.

KEYWORDS:

• Roman Question
• Italian unification
• Latin America
• Ultramontanism
• romanization
• Pope Pius IX

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 D’Agostino, Rome in America.

2 Isabella, Risorgimento. On the globalization of the public sphere, see Garnham, “The Media.”

3 Conrad, “Religion,” 11.

4 Schneider, “Insel der Märtyrer.”

5 Blaschke, “Anti-protestantism”; and Green, “Sir Moses Montefiore.”

6 Green and Viaene, Religious Internationals. See also Viaene, “Reality and Image.”

7 Frankel, The Damascus Affair; and Green, “Sir Moses Montefiore.”

8 Kertzer, The Kidnapping; and Dittrich, Antiklericalismus, 148–181.

9 Göhde, “German volunteers”; Göhde, “A New Military History”; Pécout, “The International”; Sarlin, “The Anti-Risorgimento”; Alonso, “¿Dar la vida por la contrarrevolución?”; Sonetti, “Guerra a la revolución”; and Pinto, “Una guerra de resistencia.”

10 Kaiser, Christian Democracy; Blaschke, “Transnationale Parteigeschichte”; and Ramón Solans, “Bis ans Ende der Welt.”

11 Viaene, “The Roman Question”; Viaene, “International History.”

12 Olson, “Representations of Pope Pius VII.”

13 Spektorowski, “Maistre, Donoso Cortes,” 290.

14 Plongeron, “De Napoléon à Metternich,” 685–687; Hilaire, “Rome, capitale”; Chadwick, The Popes, 552–553; Pásztor, “La congregazione”; Langlois, “Le temps de l’Immaculée”; and Sorrel, “Ultramontanisme et culte marial.”

15 Riall, “Martyr Cults”; Horaist, La devotion au Pape; Seiler, “Somatische Solidarität”; and Clark and Kaiser, Culture Wars.

16 López V., Gregorio XVI; Leturia, Relaciones, 52–69; Martínez, “Circulación”; and Enríquez, “Reserva pontificia.”

17 Martínez, “El ‘obispo universal’.”

18 López V., Gregorio XVI., 175–188 and 354–355.

19 Cárdenas Ayala, “La construcción”; Serrano, ¿Qué hacer con Dios en la República?, 62 and 82–83; and Bautista García, “Hacia la romanización.”

20 Serrano, ¿Qué hacer con Dios en la República?, 55–85; Santirocchi, Questão de Consciência; Klaiber, The Catholic Church; and Brading, “Ultramontane Intransigence.”

21 Edwards, Roman Virtues; Ramón Solans, “Bis ans Ende.”

22 Ibid.

23 L’Orbe cattolico, Vol.1, VI.

24 Ibid., XIX.

25 Among them, for example, Queen Victoria. Matsumoto-Best, Britain and the Papacy, 107.

26 L’Orbe cattolico, Vol. 2, 13–14.

27 Ibid., 9, 15–16, 19–20, 41–42, 49–52, 58–59, 62–63, 134–135, 144–145, 165–166, 175–177, 194–195, 276–77, 269–271, and 292–293.

28 Ibid., 124–125, 173–174, 375–376, and 388–389.

29 Valentín Valdivieso, Obras científicas i literarias, 133–138.

30 Ibid.

31 Viaene, “The Roman Question”; Guénel, La dernière guerre; and Horaist, La devotion au Pape.

32 Pollard, Money and the Rise, 33.

33 Ibid., 32–33.

34 Ibid.

35 Ramón Solans, “Bis ans Ende.”

36 “Carta de Mieczysław Ledóchowski,” vol. 33, fol. 666.

37 “Carta de José Milcíades Bernardo,” leg. 12597.

38 “Carta de Mieczysław Ledóchowski,” vol. 13, fol. 666.

39 Ibid.

40 Ibid.

41 El Catolicismo, 6 March 1860.

42 Ibid.

43 El Catolicismo, 20 March 1860.

44 El Catolicismo, 27 March 1860.

45 Ibid.

46 El Catolicismo, 3 April 1860 and 10 April 1860.

47 Ibid.

48 Ibid.

49 El Catolicismo, 8 May 1860; 22 May 1860; 5 June 1860; 12 June 1860; 10 July 1860; 17 July 1860; and 24 July 1860.

50 “Carta de Mieczysław Ledóchowski,” vol. 13, fol. 670.

51 Ibid.

52 El poder temporal.

53 “Carta de Mieczysław Ledóchowski,” vol. 13, fol. 670.

54 “Carta de Bartolomé Herrera,” vol. XIII, fol. 258.

55 “Circular de Mariano Chacón y Becerra,” vol. XIX, fol. 90.

56 “Carta del obispo de la Paz” and “Carta del obispo de Cochabamba,” vol. 13, fols. 137 and 573; and “Carta del obispo de Cochabamba,” vol. XIII, fol. 295.

57 “Carta de Antonio Granella,” vol. XIII, fol. 258.

58 “Carta de José Domingo Castillo,” vol. XIII, fol. 254 and “Carta de Pedro de la Llosa,” vol. 13, fol. 571.

59 “Carta del arzobispo de Quito,” vol. 13, fol. 337.

60 “Carta de José Miguel Aristegui”; “Carta de obispo de Concepción”; and “Carta del obispo de la Serena,” vol. 13, fols. 215, 216, and 217.

61 “Carta de Rafael Valentín Valdivieso,” vol. 286 (1855–1860), fol. 433.

62 Ibid.

63 “Carta del obispo de Buenos Aires,” vol. 13, fol. 460.

64 La Relijión, 18 February 1860.

65 “Carta del obispo de Buenos Aires,” vol. 13, fol. 460.

66 “Carta del obispo de Buenos Aires,” vol. 13, fol. 462.

67 Riall, “Martyr Cults,” 275.

68 Rongier and Abelardo Díaz, Historia de la canonización, 51, 67–68, and 179.

69 Manifiesto de Adhesión del Episcopado chileno.

70 Ofrenda del Arzobispado de Caracas y Venezuela.

71 Ibid.

72 Horaist, La devotion au Pape, 37–42; Brennan, “Visiting ‘Peter in Chains’”; Kertzer, Prisoner of the Vatican.

73 Lamberts, The Black International, 1870–1878.

74 “Borrador de notas de adhesión al Papa Pio IX.”

75 Di Stefano and Zanatta, Historia de la Iglesia argentina, 344.

76 Asamblea Católica en honor del Sumo Pontífice, 38–40.

77 Ibid., 43.

78 Ibid., 43–44.

79 Boucheron, “Ouverture,” 12.

80 Pécout, “La Repubblica romana”; Fruci, “1870 Porta Pia.”

81 Viaene, “The Roman Question,” 176.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under the Juan de la Cierva Incorporación Grant and with the research projects HAR2015-65991-P and HAR2016-75002-P, and by the research project C2-26 of the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” (WWU Münster).

Notes on contributors

Francisco Javier Ramón Solans

Francisco Javier Ramón Solans is Juan de la Cierva Researcher at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. He has a PhD in History from the University of Zaragoza and the University of Paris 8, and has been a research fellow in France, the United States, and Germany. He is the author of La Virgen del Pilar dice … Usos políticos y nacionales de un culto mariano en la España contemporánea (2014) and he has coedited with Roberto Di Stefano, Marian Devotions, Political Mobilization, and Nationalism in Europe and America (2016); with Pedro Rújula, El Desafío de la Revolución. Reaccionarios, antiliberales y contrarrevolucionarios (siglos XVIII y XIX) (2017); and with Olaf Blaschke, Weltreligion im Umbruch. Transnationale Perspektiven auf das Christentum in der Globalisierung (2019). He has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and books chapters on Marian devotions, National-Catholicism, political prophecies, miracles, and Ultramontanism.