The presentation of the keepsake commemorating 800 years since the death of St. Francis of Assisi was held at the residence of the Ambassador of Italy.
The volume, entitled “The Stayin Power of Faith & Poetry”, was conceived by Prof. Marco Sonzogni and Associate Professor Sydney Shep, who selected from Canto XI of Dante’s Paradiso the words the great poet dedicated to St. Francis. The verses, originally in vernacular Italian, were translated in te reo Māori, modern Italian, English, Chinese, Latin and Peruvian Spanish, the latter chosen as a tribute to Pope Leo XIV. Among the translations, special mention must be made of the creative English language version, which is the contribution to the project of the Italian-American poet Kimberley Campanello, Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds.
The project was sustained and supported by the Embassy of Italy, the Apostolic Nunciature in Wellington, Parkinson Europe, Victoria University of Wellington – Te Herenga Waka, and the New Zealand Centre for Literary Translation. It also received the Patronage of the Italian National Committee for the celebration of the eight centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.
Heartfelt thanks go to the Apostolic Nunciature for its constant support to the project, in particular for the Apostolic Nuncio, H.E. Archibishop Gábor Pintér and to the vicar, Monsignor Tomasz Gdula, who ensured that the event was graced by the Apostolic Blessing imparted Pope Leo XIV.
