A memorandum of understanding for study and research activities has been stipulated between the Interdepartmental Center for Research on Digital Humanities of the University of Modena and Reggio, the diocese of Reggio Emilia – Guastalla, the Catholic University of Milan and the International Center of Gioachimiti Studies. The diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla has manuscripts of fundamental importance for the transmission of the works of Gioacchino da Fiore, in particular one of the codes of the Liber Figorum, the gathering of miniata tables of considerable beauty that summarize in a symbolic synthesis of great effectiveness the cornerstones of the thought of Gioacchino da Fiore;
The DHmore Center has developed a digital platform for the enhancement of documentation of particular historical and artistic value, in close synergy with other institutions of the Emilia – Romagna Region, as well as with the Ecclesiastical Heritage Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference; The Catholic University of Milan has promoted fundamental research on the life and work of Gioacchino da Fiore in recent decades, with the active involvement of specialized scholars and important scientific publications concerning the work and spiritual legacy of Gioacchino da Fiore and Liber Figorum; The International Center for Studies Gioachimiti has been organizing conferences, lessons, exhibitions and high -profile scientific and internationally -scientific publications on the figure and work of Gioacchino da Fiore for over forty years.
The University of Modena and Reggio represented by the director of the Interdepartmental Center for Research on Digital Humanities prof. Matteo al Kalak, the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guatalla represented by S.Ecc. Mons. Giacomo Morandi, the Catholic University of Milan represented by Prof. Elena Beccalli, the International Center of Studies Gioachimiti represented by the President prof. Giuseppe Riccardo Succurro agree to start collaboration projects that allow to host significant portions of the cultural heritage of the diocese within the Lodovico Media Library platform.
The parties undertake to promote projects and other forms of enhancement of the historical and artistic heritage concerning the legacy of Gioacchino da Fiore: for this purpose, the International Center of Studies Gioachimiti, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and the Catholic University of Milan make its scientific skills and structures available to the diocese.
The book of figures is the most beautiful and important work of figural and symbolic theology of the Middle Ages. The figures, conceived by Gioacchino da Fiore at different times, were gathered in the Liber Figorum in the period immediately following his death, which took place in 1202
The Reggio Code is kept in the Library of the Episcopal Seminary of Reggio Emilia, the Corpus Christi College 255 A code is kept in Oxford, the third code is in the Sächsische Landesbibliothek of Dresden and the fourth, the Vat. Lat. 4860, in the Vatican Apostolic Library of the Vatican City. The same figures appear in a more limited number also in other manuscripts and in many works by Gioacchino da Fiore there are often diagrams to illustrate the doctrines on display. The doctrine of Gioacchino da Fiore was reviewed, after the Lateran Council IV of 1215, by the Cardinal Commission that Pope Alexander IV gathered in Anagni in 1255.
In the “Anagni protocol”, the Paternity Joachymita of the Figuree is established in the proposition: “Idem habetur for inspectionm arborum et figarum indeed confectarum AB Ipso Joachim.” It was Salimbene de Adam from Parma, in the chronic drawn up in 1283, to first use the definition of “Liber Figure” with three different quotes: “Abbas Ioachym in the book Figureum ..”, “Nam in Book Figorum”, “saw in the book Figorum Ioachym”.
The doctrinal heritage of the Calabrian abbot has been transmitted many times as a privileged research reserve for professionals, with the exclusion of the readers’ general audience. Thanks to the collaboration between Dhmore, Catholic University, the Gioachimiti Study Center and Diocese digitalization and rigorous scientific work will be joined by a work of dissemination for the non -specialized public.