Elia Dalla Costa e il fascismo italiano (1923-1943)
abstract
The essay describes the attitude that Elia Dalla Costa, bishop of Padua (1923-1931) and archbishop of Florence (1932-1958), kept in front of fascism. It shows an Episcopal behaviour aimed to mitigate possible tensions with the articulated fascist reality, in order to avoid the rise of controversies on a political level. In some cases, this behaviour conveyed an image of a public convergence between the Catholic Church and the fascist regime, but the prelate’s confidence in politics did not allow an instrumental use of religion as required by the regime.
Keywords: Elia Dalla Costa • Fascism • Italian Episcopacy