{"id":4097,"date":"2023-03-12T06:00:20","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/libraries\/?p=4097"},"modified":"2023-03-10T11:35:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T16:35:58","slug":"celebrating-the-80th-anniversary-of-the-coronation-of-pope-pius-xii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/libraries\/2023\/03\/celebrating-the-80th-anniversary-of-the-coronation-of-pope-pius-xii\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Coronation of Pope Pius XII"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Jeanne Brasile<\/em><\/p>\n

80 years ago Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected Pope, assuming the name Pope Pius XII<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Photograph
Pius XII with tabard by photographer Michael Pitcairn, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As <\/span>we approach <\/span>the 8<\/span>4<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span> A<\/span>nniversary of Pope Pius XII<\/span>\u2019s <\/span>c<\/span>oronation<\/span>,<\/span> which took place on March 12, 1939, <\/span>t<\/span>he Department of Archives and Special Collections and the Walsh Gallery are poised to receive a large bequest of materials from the Estate of Sister <\/span>Margherita<\/span> Marchione<\/span>, a Roman Catholic sister, educator, <\/span>author<\/span> and <\/span>scholar<\/span> of Pope Pius XII<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> Sister Marchione <\/span>joined the <\/span>Religious Teachers <\/span>Filippini<\/span> of<\/span> Morristown in <\/span>1938 at the age of 16<\/span><\/span> – <\/span>j<\/span>ust one year before the coronation of Pope Pius XII<\/span>.\u00a0 This <\/span>event must<\/span> have made<\/span> an indelible impression on the young sister<\/span>,<\/span> for she would <\/span>go on to <\/span>author<\/span> numerous<\/span> books <\/span>about<\/span> him<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>In her later years, she was an ardent supporter of <\/span>his <\/span>canonization, <\/span>establishing<\/span> a small research facility and museum on the grounds of Villa Walsh<\/span> where the <\/span>Filippini Sisters<\/span> live and teach<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Religious
Sister Margherita Marchione in front of one of the many displays she created at Villa Walsh to honor Pope Pius XII. Dated 2010, from her personal collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over <\/span>time<\/span>, Sister <\/span><\/span>Margherita<\/span><\/span> compiled an immense <\/span>collection of <\/span>books and <\/span>artifacts on Pope Pius XXII including photographs, relics, paintings, <\/span>artifacts<\/span> and the slippers he was wearing at his coronation. <\/span>Sister Marchione\u2019s <\/span>bequest is to be accompanied by an extensive compilation of rare books and manuscripts from the sister\u2019s archives<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Reviewing the collection in preparation for the transfer of the objects, the gallery and archives staff were<\/span> amazed by <\/span>the meticulously <\/span>organized <\/span>displays with labels and notes about the artifacts<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>Photographs were organized with dates, captions and notes about the event<\/span>s <\/span>and subjects <\/span>depicted<\/span>. Objects had notes on their <\/span>acquisition and display cases kept dust and light from damaging objects. <\/span>\u201cIt is <\/span>unusual to have a collection come to us with this level of description and organization<\/span>. <\/span>It gives <\/span>us<\/span> a very real sense of Sister <\/span>Margherita<\/span>\u2019s <\/span>passion and attention to detail \u2013 she must have been a force to reckon with having seen all that she had <\/span>accomplished<\/span> and her avid documentation of her life\u2019s work<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> noted gallery staff.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n