by InTrieste
Italy celebrates the so-called Dantedì, the national day dedicated to Dante Alighieri, on Monday 25 March.
The annual event that celebrates the medival poet and philosopher – known as the Father of the Italian language – follows the 700th anniversary of his death two years ago.
A program of Dante-themed events will take place across Italy on the day, from readings and conferences to documentary screenings and theatrical productions.
25 March was chosen for Dantedì as it is the date given by scholars for the start of the journey to the afterlife in Dante’s epic, The Divine Comedy.
The long narrative poem represents a 14th-century vision of the afterlife, describing Dante’s journey through the three realms of the dead: Inferno (hell), Purgatorio (purgatory) and Paradiso (heaven).
Dante, who began composing the groundbreaking trilogy in or around 1308, wrote the poem’s 14,233 lines in the vernacular, opting for the Tuscan dialect which was accessible to the masses rather than the traditional Latin reserved for the most educated readers.
For the full 2024 program of Dantedì events, currently being updated, see Italy’s culture ministry website.
