The Religion of the Homeland. The Cult of «Martyrs of Freedom» in Nineteenth-century Italy

Abstract

The Religion of the Homeland. The Cult of «Martyrs of Freedom» in Nineteenth-Century Italy

In recent years, the historiography of the Risorgimento has been transformed by a new approach that began with the so-called linguistic turn. One particularly stimulating element of such studies are attempts to read the cult of martyrs as a motive for patriotic volunteering, and as one of the tools used by the Risorgimento movement, starting with Mazzini, to convert people to the nationalist cause. This article outlines the development of martyr literature in Italy from the early nineteenth century up to Fascism. The author distinguishes his approach from other scholars to argue that, with the partial exception of Mazzini, those who participated in the construction of patriotic martyr cults were strongly anti-clerical. They attempted to build a civic religion, which consciously drew elements from traditional Christian religion in order to utilise its symbols and liturgies. At the same time, the cults remained firmly fixed within a secular culture.