L’uso pubblico dei santuari francescani in Italia: note sul ruolo dei bollettini e della stampa periodica nei primi decenni del Novecento

The article examines the role of Franciscan sanctuaries in Italy between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focusing on newsletters and periodical press as tools of religious and civic communication. Following the unification of the Observant branches, the Friars Minor reinforced their public presence by combining devotion, missions, and patriotism. Case studies such as the Messaggero di Sant’Antonio and the bulletins of Canepanova, Monte Santo, and Castagnevizza show how sanctuaries conveyed identity and political messages, helping to reshape relations between Church, society, and State up to Fascism and the Lateran Pacts.