Father Josepe Bagano is angry. The 65th monk -I see from his monks and his three monks, who devoted their lives to silence in the Santo Spirito Monastery in Florence, is preparing to combat plans to open a luxury care house in the place.
Pagano told CNN Friday (21), a day after a protest leadership in the monastery, where Michael Angelo lived and is now surrounding construction equipment. “We are ready to occupy the terrain.”
“On the day when we hear the beginning of the works, we will be ready to solve its shop and close the doors.” “A fine and imprisonment is a little price to pay to defend what we have.”
In 1397 it was founded to the monks and devoted their lives to St. Augustine, and the monastery was under the auspices of the Agostini regime for several centuries.
Michael Angelo lived and studied there, and the current complex, through the Arno River, in front of Florence Historic CenterThe wooden cross also includes the Renaissance Master of Bazilica.
The complex is partly owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense. In 1866, the Italian state at the time seized the upper rooms, and the monks retreated to the lower areas.
Now, it can become old military barracks on the site, which will be closed soon, a luxury care house, where they face closed yard balconies used by monks.
In 2022, the Ministry of Defense issued a notice to renew its part of the complex. FastPol Development Companyy has won the advertisement, which specializes in luxury real estate for retirees and hotels. The ministry announced the granting of the notice, but it refused to comment on the current conflict with the monks.
The monks claim that they were in the dark on the plane.
“We have known for years that the army wanted to leave and asked them to keep us aware, only to know that the Ministry of Defense had put (the yard) in giving bids,” Pagano told the people who participated in the protest on Thursday (20).
“The company that has won the elderly sponsorship house, but we doubt that it will be more like a five -star hotel,” Bagano added, referring to the budget and specialization of developers. “The idea of guests who look from the top of the windows to the only annihilation we use seems to be a privacy invasion.”
Therefore, Pagano received the support of “Salviamo Fireze” (Salvem Florence), a group created to protect the city from extra tourism, which promised to join the monks in protest, with plans to roam inside the monastery as soon as the work begins.
The monks living at the scene, along with the University of Augustine Villanova, Pennsylvania (USA), sent a request to meet the minister of defense in the monastery to present an alternative plan, which will include a community center for the city’s residents. Bayan said in an open letter to a mayor FlourishIt was published in the Italian press.
Lorenzo Calpani, lawyer Augustine, said they have prepared legal action if this development followed. “We will not stand constant and watch,” he said on Thursday. “Let’s not leave the stone on the stone.”
Pagano and his novel also requested support from the city of Florence, in the hope that the alternative plan, which will include a library, cafeteria, and a conference hall, as well as the Student Hospitality House.
Solidarity with the monks of Santo Spirito grows.
Eike Schmidt, the former Ufizi Museum director in Florence, is helping to raise support. “This relates to the history and identity of Florence, Italy and our civilization,” he told the local press.
“The date of the original sin dates back to the period of Italian monotheism, when the building was divided between several departments. But the scandal is modern, when the privilege of individuals began in complete silence.”
A press conference has been marked to increase awareness of the issue of monks. “Praise be to God, the mobilization expanded,” said Bagano. “The force comes from the desire to save the place of making history in Florence since 1250 (when Agostinian has created its base in the city). This continues without losing its identity.”
