From Mazzini to Towiański
From Mazzini to Towiański

Affinities and Divergences of a Religious Revolution

Author(s): Giulio Dalla Grana
Subject(s): Cultural history, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, 19th Century, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Giuseppe Mazzini; Romantic messianism; political religion; Catholic esotericism
Summary/Abstract: The study compares the religious ideas of Giuseppe Mazzini and Andrzej Towiański, aiming to explain the reasons that contributed to the diffusion of Towiański’s doctrine in Italy. Mazzini was one of the most famous and influential patriots of 19th century Europe, and his social and political thought was one of the prominent currents animating national uprisings in Italy. This study focuses on Mazzini’s thought because of its influence on Towiański’s disciples. Therefore, it can be assumed that Mazzini’s thought facilitated the diffusion of Towianism in Piedmont. The comparison of their ideas helps to understand to what extent Towiański’s thought was similar to that of Mazzini and, consequently, to what extent Towiański’s doctrine could have been familiar to the Italian patriots. Although Mazzini and Towiański shared some ideas with several other Romantic thinkers, there are numerous similarities that are unique to their thought. Moreover, they were proponents of religious doctrines: a civil religion for Mazzini and a traditional religion for Towiański. It is significant that, in both thinkers, a constant intertwining of the political and religious spheres is present. Their political and religious stances, which promoted a messianic vision of the future of the nations, were extremely appealing to the Italian patriots engaged, like the Poles, in attempts to affirm their national independence.

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