Radiophonum Vaticanum fundavit a SS. Pio XI P.M. & Guglielmo Marconi. www.zazzle.com/ProVaticanus The Founding of Vatican Radio February 12, 1931 The Beginning of the Idea To speak about the birth of …More
Radiophonum Vaticanum fundavit a SS. Pio XI P.M. & Guglielmo Marconi.
www.zazzle.com/ProVaticanus
The Founding of Vatican Radio
February 12, 1931
The Beginning of the Idea
To speak about the birth of Vatican Radio and the twelfth of February, 1931, is easy enough. However, it's more difficult to portray the ambience, the atmosphere, and the sense of excitment that permeated that momentous occasion.
Guglielmo Marconi, the great scientist who had for years been celebrated in the world's newspapers, approached the 12th of February with fear; in fact he was almost trembling as he realized the import of the endeavor he was about to undertake for the Supreme Pontiff. Upon the arrival of His Holiness Pope Pius XI, Mr. Marconi genuflected and humbly kissed the ring of the Successor of Peter. Pope Pius nodded paternally, smiled, and placed his hand on Marconi's shoulder in a manner which was almost an embrace. One could continue to explain the beginning moments of Vatican Radio in this manner, but the moment is better conveyed through the exact words of those present on that splendid day sixty-five years ago on the Vatican Hill.
On February 12, 1931, the Marquis Marconi spoke these historical words:
I have the highest honor of announcing that in only a matter of seconds the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Pius XI, will inaugurate the Radio Station of the Vatican City State. The electric radio waves will transport to all the world his words of peace and blessing.
This is how the world-renowned scientist Guglielmo Marconi announced the birth of Vatican Radio. He then continued:
With the help of Almighty God, who allows the many mysterious forces of nature to be used by man, I have been able to prepare this instrument which will accord to the Faithful of all the world the consolation of hearing the voice of the Holy Father. Most Holy Father, the work that Your Holiness has deigned to entrust to me, I, today return to You...may you deign, Holy Father, to allow the entire world to hear your august words.
A reporter at the time of this broadcast wrote, In this moment, the entire worlds awaits...The Vicar of Christ, through the means of this new ineffable instrument, and in a voice heard very clearly, begins to speak. It is exactly 4:49 p.m. on the Twelfth of February, Nineteen Thirty-One.
The rich text of the first radio message was written in Latin by Pius XI himself. The Pope imbued his message with passages from the Sacred Scriptures which emphasize the universality of the Gospel message. Pius XI concluded the first line of the discourse in this manner, Listen, O Heavens, to that which I say; listen, O Earth, listen to the words which come from my mouth...Listen and hear, O Peoples of distant lands! He continued, speaking in the voice of the Old Testament prophet, To the City and to the World! Now, we turn to the reporting of the event and to the story that preceeded it.
Pius XI, was born Achilles Ratti in 1857, at Desio near Milan. He ascended to the Pontificate on February 6, 1922. The theme of his pontificate could be condensed in the …
www.zazzle.com/ProVaticanus
The Founding of Vatican Radio
February 12, 1931
The Beginning of the Idea
To speak about the birth of Vatican Radio and the twelfth of February, 1931, is easy enough. However, it's more difficult to portray the ambience, the atmosphere, and the sense of excitment that permeated that momentous occasion.
Guglielmo Marconi, the great scientist who had for years been celebrated in the world's newspapers, approached the 12th of February with fear; in fact he was almost trembling as he realized the import of the endeavor he was about to undertake for the Supreme Pontiff. Upon the arrival of His Holiness Pope Pius XI, Mr. Marconi genuflected and humbly kissed the ring of the Successor of Peter. Pope Pius nodded paternally, smiled, and placed his hand on Marconi's shoulder in a manner which was almost an embrace. One could continue to explain the beginning moments of Vatican Radio in this manner, but the moment is better conveyed through the exact words of those present on that splendid day sixty-five years ago on the Vatican Hill.
On February 12, 1931, the Marquis Marconi spoke these historical words:
I have the highest honor of announcing that in only a matter of seconds the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Pius XI, will inaugurate the Radio Station of the Vatican City State. The electric radio waves will transport to all the world his words of peace and blessing.
This is how the world-renowned scientist Guglielmo Marconi announced the birth of Vatican Radio. He then continued:
With the help of Almighty God, who allows the many mysterious forces of nature to be used by man, I have been able to prepare this instrument which will accord to the Faithful of all the world the consolation of hearing the voice of the Holy Father. Most Holy Father, the work that Your Holiness has deigned to entrust to me, I, today return to You...may you deign, Holy Father, to allow the entire world to hear your august words.
A reporter at the time of this broadcast wrote, In this moment, the entire worlds awaits...The Vicar of Christ, through the means of this new ineffable instrument, and in a voice heard very clearly, begins to speak. It is exactly 4:49 p.m. on the Twelfth of February, Nineteen Thirty-One.
The rich text of the first radio message was written in Latin by Pius XI himself. The Pope imbued his message with passages from the Sacred Scriptures which emphasize the universality of the Gospel message. Pius XI concluded the first line of the discourse in this manner, Listen, O Heavens, to that which I say; listen, O Earth, listen to the words which come from my mouth...Listen and hear, O Peoples of distant lands! He continued, speaking in the voice of the Old Testament prophet, To the City and to the World! Now, we turn to the reporting of the event and to the story that preceeded it.
Pius XI, was born Achilles Ratti in 1857, at Desio near Milan. He ascended to the Pontificate on February 6, 1922. The theme of his pontificate could be condensed in the …