Cardinal Parolin to present book on Cardinal Costantini & China
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will present a new book on Cardinal Costantini, the first apostolic delegate to China, on June 20 at the Pontifical Urban University of Rome.
Deborah Castellano Lubov
Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, will present the work “Cardinal Celso Costantini and China – Builder of a 'bridge' between East and West”, at the Pontifical Urban University of Rome, Thursday June 20.
The volume was edited by Mgr. Bruno Fabio Pighin, Italian historian and episcopal delegate in the postulation of the cause of beatification and canonization of Cardinal Celso Costantini (1876-1958), first apostolic delegate to China, and published in Italian by Marcianum Press.
Alongside Cardinal Parolin, among the speakers will be the secretary of the “First Evangelization” and new particular Churches section of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Mgr Fortunatus Nwachukwu, and the secretary of the Dicastery for legislative texts, Mgr Juan Ignacio Arrieta.
Archbishop Giuseppe Pellegrini, of the diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, home of Cardinal Costantini, and the rector of the Pontifical Urban University, Professor Vincenzo Buonomo, will offer their first greetings.
Passion for China
Bishop Costantini worked tirelessly, despite difficulties, to ensure that the Gospel of Christ took root on Chinese soil and was compatible with local society and culture.
In particular, he organized and promoted the Concilium Sinensethe first and so far only Synod of the Catholic Church in China, whose centenary was commemorated on May 21 with an international conference organized by the Urban University, in collaboration with the Fides news agency and the Commission pastoral for China.
Costantini, created cardinal during the Consistory of January 12, 1953 by Pope Pius XII, is also known for having founded the first Chinese religious institute, the Congregation of the Disciples of the Lord, today spread in different regions of Asia, and for having collaborated in the founding and development of Fu Jen Catholic University.
In Italy, after his stay in Asia, the cardinal was also secretary of the Fide Propaganda, former Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and rector of the Pontifical Urban University.
