Ernesto Galli della Loggia

"If God exists, if there is a revelation, it cannot be anything other than that of Jesus Christ. Only here is there this moving solidarity with huma condition. You may not believe it, but all this is unparalleled."

"There is indeed something unique about the way in which the memory of the Republic came to be formed, and about the way in which that memory has been and continues to be shaped by the country's official culture. For many decades, for example, it was forbidden to call what happened between 1943 and 1945 by its proper name, i.e., the Italian Civil War. To speak of a civil war was considered factually incorrect, and even more so ideologically suspect. People had to say that what had taken place was the resistance, not a civil war; at that time, only Salò veterans, those nostalgic for the regime, and a few courageous, high-profile journalists or publicists, such as Indro Montanelli, spoke and wrote about a civil war, thereby showing which side they still supported. Things went on like this for a long time. Then, in the early 1990s, as we know, a left-wing historian, Claudio Pavone, wrote a book on the period 1943–45 entitled 'A Civil War'. It is only since then that we have all been able to use this term without difficulty, although, of course, the word 'resistance' has by no means been erased."

"By electing Pope Joseph Ratzinger, the Catholic Church demonstrated, above all, its historical vitality and its proven wisdom as a political body, albeit of a very special kind. Indeed, faced with a difficult succession, its supreme assembly did not resort to compromise or half measures. It decisively cut the Gordian knot, demonstrating what a long-standing and conscious relationship with the dimension of leadership means. And it made a choice. It did not choose a surly conservative or a nosy inquisitor: despite many fears and many prejudices, Joseph Ratzinger is not that. Above all, he is a witness to our epochal drama, a man who is aware that – in the fiery blaze of time – entire historical universes, entire anthropological and cultural worlds that have shaped us for centuries, are in danger of being annihilated and disappearing; and he feels that, far from representing any kind of progress, this only paves the way to nothingness."

"In short, science as such is in no way a guarantee of wisdom or humanity."

"Knowledge – the act of taking in the world and rethinking it within oneself – has been the constant instrument for the multifaceted growth of our communities; then there is our relationship with Antiquity, with our classical and Christian origins, which continues to be for us not only a source of global prestige but also an enduring reason for self-recognition, for a pietas of Remembrance and Preservation that encapsulates a universal aspect of civilisation; and finally, there is Italy's unique vocation for invention and for the harmony of forms, which, starting with the landscape and the myriad aspects of everyday life, has subsequently found expression in an immense artistic legacy: how we would like our Ministers for Education and Culture to remind the country of these things!"

"Knowledge, Past and Beauty are the three great perspectives that have always defined and, in many ways, encompass our entire history. For centuries, these three perspectives have kept this small Mediterranean peninsula at the centre of the world's attention, carrying the name of Italy beyond all borders."

"Reclaiming this past and our own tradition in order to rediscover ourselves: this is the urgent task facing a country that knows and thinks."

"By now, the only thing that seems to keep us together is the desire to share the state budget, to carve up the spoils."

"(About the cinepanettone) I wonder if there are any other countries where, not just any old film, but the film that is expected to be the most watched of the year, is essentially an uninterrupted stream of vulgarity peppered with swear words: like a long obscene message on the wall of a station toilet. But that's clearly how Italy is. This, too, is the real Italy: its culture and its deepest impulses."

"With the Lega ideology, you can be an excellent mayor in Varese, and even in Verona, but you can't govern Italy. [...] With the Lega Nord ideology, at best, you can be in government, but that is something entirely different from governing."

"In reality, the 'Padania' idea is a bluff that, so far, only the foolish timidity of the 'Italian' political forces has failed to 'see', and which Bossi is using for the sole purpose of highlighting his regional commitment and his electoral stronghold. However, in all other respects, it is utterly devoid of substance among the Lega Nord electorate itself."

"However, 'mentioning the word “Islam” on the jacket would immediately have given the reader the impression that the novel is anti-Islam,' objects Sgarbi, whereas in fact it is 'a nuanced interpretation of the relationship with the West'."

"With a warm vocal style, a naturally vibrant energy and a bright but unassuming vivacity, supported by a repertoire of cleverly unconventional songs, Milly relies not so much on physical attractiveness as on the ironic and intriguing nature of her stage presence. And it is the charm of this presence – quite unusual for an Italian showgirl – that wins the hearts of many men, earning her devoted admiration that is ready to turn into burning passion. These are the years when there are persistent rumours of an affair between the singer and the young scion of the House of Savoy, the handsome Prince Umberto, an affair that was brought to an end (again (so the story goes) by direct intervention from the King. There are also many other stories, particularly involving writers and intellectuals, who were most susceptible to the light-hearted and mischievous charm of this petite Piedmontese woman, who seemed to know the art of capturing men's attention so well."