The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic

129

HOMILY GIVEN TO COMMEMORATE THE QUINCENTENNIAL OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST RESIDENT BISHOP OF SANTO DOMINGO

ENDNOTES

Due to various circumstances, he did not actually arrive in

Santo Domingo until September, 1519; see Chapter 6.

As my own people are located at the other axis of the world, and since they are located at one end

where all the peoples of the equinoctial area converge, I beseech that I might be able to build a most

remarkable church to Our Lady of the Annunciation, so that in it a Jubilee may be celebrated in accor-

dance with Christian rites, and so that his Holiness might grant greater indulgences at any feast of the

Blessed Virgin that occurs during the year, which may be reached not only by the inhabitants of this

island of Hispaniola, but also by those of Cuba, San Juan, and of the great isles of the Americas and all

those located under these skies.

However, Geraldini’s work in his short appointment was not limited to solely religious concerns. Like any

true priest, he was an advocate for those he was entrusted to serve. The works in which he was interested,

including the construction of a hospital, are examples of his concern for other aspects of human life, in addition

to the religious ones.

In short, those authors who have dealt with Bishop Geraldini praise his actions and his determination;

some even attest that he died in the scent of Holiness, because by the time the messenger of the Lord knocked

on his door, making him aware that he must leave the temporal world for the imperishable, he had already

planted the Gospel in the hearts of those entrusted to him.

I close this sermon by saying that I am tremendously blessed to be Bishop Alessandro Geraldini’s 50

successor.

Ave Maria Purissima

Te Deum for the 500th

anniversary Geraldini.

From left: Alba María

Cabral, Ambassador of

the Dominican Republic

in Italy; Miguel Vargas

Maldonado, Chancellor

of the Dominican

Republic; Cándida

Montilla de Medina,

First Lady; Roberta

Canepari and Andrea

Canepari Ambassador

of Italy.

Artist’s book

ORIZZONTE by

Alessandra Angelini

about Bishop

Alessandro Geraldini’s

poetry dedicated to

his mother. The lyric

is Italian and Latin.

Intaglio and woodcut

on cotton paper. Work

done by the professor

of the Academy of

Brera (Milan) for the

celebrations of the

500th anniversary of

Alessandro Geraldini

and presented on

November 12, 2020

at the international

exhibition: Bookcity

Milano.