240
In these concluding remarks, we want to enlarge on how Secchi applied his idea
of “useful science,” following to the Jesuit motto Religioni et bonis artibus, to all
the different disciplines he encountered, starting of course from meteorology and
weather forecasting. It is worth remarking that the journal Bullettino meteorologico
dell’Osservatorio del Collegio Romano, established by Secchi in 1862 and mainly
devoted to contributions concerning meteorology, geomagnetism, astronomy, or
astrophysics, also hosted reports about environmental phenomena such volcanic
eruptions, floods, or sandy rains (Calisi and Mangianti 2012; Beltrano and Iafrate,
Chap. 9, in this volume). This approach of forecast and prevention, aimed at saving
people’s lives, can be considered a prelude of the modern institution of emergency
management and civil protection. Moreover, Secchi was aware of the importance of
the dissemination of scientific ideas in society, and thus he often held public seminars to promote modern science (Chinnici 2019).
For this reason as well, Secchi’s work can be seen as a perfect example of compatibility of Christian faith and science during a phase of opposition between religion and the rationalistic approach that characterized the nineteenth century (Cortie
1923; Udìas 2009; Rudwick 2014).
One important example of applied science comes from Secchi’s involvement in
the aftermath of the 1859 earthquake of Norcia, described above. It is worth remarking that Father Angelo provided his guidance and advice for free. Moreover, he
generously refused to be refunded for travel expenses, as is attested to by a letter of
thanks sent to him from Norcia’s citizens in November 1859 (Altamore et al. 2015).
After examining geological and hydrogeological features of Norcia’s area (Secchi
1859, 1860; Console et al. 2017), Father Secchi cooperated with architect Luigi
Poletti in writing a report containing useful suggestions for a new building code for
seismic risk prevention (Calzolari and Marsella, Chap. 16, in this volume).
Unfortunately, the code, completed in 1860, was never approved by the town council (Altamore et al. 2015). Strong earthquakes once again shook Norcia and its surroundings in the twentieth century: first in 1979, about one century after Secchi’s
death, and then again in 1997, with the epicenter near Assisi but felt in the whole of
the Umbro-Marchean Apennines. Ultimately, though, the farsightedness of Father
Secchi was destined to be fully confirmed: in 2016, when a new strong earthquake
shook in central Italy, affecting the Norcia area particularly, the benefits of the
appropriate rebuilding carried out after previous earthquakes finally became evident. The recent reconstruction took into account the nature of foundation soils, the
local geological setting, seismic energy propagation mechanisms, and so on.
Obviously, damage to buildings occurred at that time, locally quite serious; but
there were no casualties. This is a precious legacy of the “useful science” of Father
Angelo Secchi.
Acknowledgments We would like to thank the Scientific Committee, and particularly Aldo
Altamore, Ileana Chinnici, and Luigi Iafrate, for inviting us, also on behalf of the “Società
Geologica Italiana,” to the Interdisciplinary Workshop in History of Science “Angelo Secchi
(1818-1878) SJ: the scientist and his time,” held in the “Biblioteca Casanatense” of Rome on
A. Argentieri and M. Parotto
In these concluding remarks, we want to enlarge on how Secchi applied his idea
of “useful science,” following to the Jesuit motto Religioni et bonis artibus, to all
the different disciplines he encountered, starting of course from meteorology and
weather forecasting. It is worth remarking that the journal Bullettino meteorologico
dell’Osservatorio del Collegio Romano, established by Secchi in 1862 and mainly
devoted to contributions concerning meteorology, geomagnetism, astronomy, or
astrophysics, also hosted reports about environmental phenomena such volcanic
eruptions, floods, or sandy rains (Calisi and Mangianti 2012; Beltrano and Iafrate,
Chap. 9, in this volume). This approach of forecast and prevention, aimed at saving
people’s lives, can be considered a prelude of the modern institution of emergency
management and civil protection. Moreover, Secchi was aware of the importance of
the dissemination of scientific ideas in society, and thus he often held public seminars to promote modern science (Chinnici 2019).
For this reason as well, Secchi’s work can be seen as a perfect example of compatibility of Christian faith and science during a phase of opposition between religion and the rationalistic approach that characterized the nineteenth century (Cortie
1923; Udìas 2009; Rudwick 2014).
One important example of applied science comes from Secchi’s involvement in
the aftermath of the 1859 earthquake of Norcia, described above. It is worth remarking that Father Angelo provided his guidance and advice for free. Moreover, he
generously refused to be refunded for travel expenses, as is attested to by a letter of
thanks sent to him from Norcia’s citizens in November 1859 (Altamore et al. 2015).
After examining geological and hydrogeological features of Norcia’s area (Secchi
1859, 1860; Console et al. 2017), Father Secchi cooperated with architect Luigi
Poletti in writing a report containing useful suggestions for a new building code for
seismic risk prevention (Calzolari and Marsella, Chap. 16, in this volume).
Unfortunately, the code, completed in 1860, was never approved by the town council (Altamore et al. 2015). Strong earthquakes once again shook Norcia and its surroundings in the twentieth century: first in 1979, about one century after Secchi’s
death, and then again in 1997, with the epicenter near Assisi but felt in the whole of
the Umbro-Marchean Apennines. Ultimately, though, the farsightedness of Father
Secchi was destined to be fully confirmed: in 2016, when a new strong earthquake
shook in central Italy, affecting the Norcia area particularly, the benefits of the
appropriate rebuilding carried out after previous earthquakes finally became evident. The recent reconstruction took into account the nature of foundation soils, the
local geological setting, seismic energy propagation mechanisms, and so on.
Obviously, damage to buildings occurred at that time, locally quite serious; but
there were no casualties. This is a precious legacy of the “useful science” of Father
Angelo Secchi.
Acknowledgments We would like to thank the Scientific Committee, and particularly Aldo
Altamore, Ileana Chinnici, and Luigi Iafrate, for inviting us, also on behalf of the “Società
Geologica Italiana,” to the Interdisciplinary Workshop in History of Science “Angelo Secchi
(1818-1878) SJ: the scientist and his time,” held in the “Biblioteca Casanatense” of Rome on
A. Argentieri and M. Parotto