Rifiuto dell'antisemitismo e permanenza di alcuni stereotipi antiebraici in Geremia Bonomelli

This article describes the attitude of the Italian Bishop Geremia Bonomelli towards Hebraism, the Jews and the political use of Antisemitism. It is well-known that, during the late 19th century, Antisemitism became very popular among Catholics, giving a concrete base to the Catholic reaction against the Liberals and the process of secularization. Within the Italian episcopate, Bonomelli was generally considered to be one of the few Liberal and patriotic bishops, openly engaged against the diffusion of Antisemitism among the Italian Catholics. Despite his general attitude, the article shows that Bonomelli himself sometimes embraced anti-Hebrew stereotypes, particularly in the description of his long pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Nevertheless, he always confronted the political use of Antisemitism, underlining that such a movement had to be considered totally secular and potentially dangerous for the Christian interests and attitudes.