Luigi Sturzo’s legacy recalled as Sicily marks autonomy milestone

On the 67th anniversary of Don Luigi Sturzo’s death, a Eucharistic celebration will be held in Caltagirone, his birthplace. The service will be presided over by Bishop Calogero Perie and co‑celebrated by Archbishop Michele Pennisi, with many attendees reflecting on Sturzo’s enduring ideas about regional self‑government.

The event highlights Sicily’s distinction as the first Italian region to receive a special autonomous statute before the Republic was founded, a development attributed to Catholic leaders such as Alcide De Gasperi and to Sicilian politicians including Alessi, Scelba and Aldisio. Sturzo’s 1919 “Appeal to the Nation” called for a truly popular state that respected families, classes and local communities, and his 1921 proposals advocated for intermediate political bodies—regions, provinces and communes—to enable the South to manage its own finances and policies.

Organizers stress that remembering Sturzo’s vision underscores the ongoing relevance of regional autonomy in contemporary Italy.