Ragion di Chiesa e ragion di Stato nei Sacri Ragionamenti di Federico Borromeo

Federico Borromeo (1564-1631), Prince of the Catholic Church, cardinal and archbishop of Milan, acute observer of the political debates of his time and important political thinker, devoted much of his attention both to the Reason of State and to the “Reason” of the Church. He wrote about both of these topics in many of his works and notebooks, and he often preached about them. Preaching was in fact Borromeo’s strategy for converting people to the one true faith, the Catholic Church. He distinguished between a true, deeply and intimately felt faith, as opposed to religious rituals and formalities. Only true faith could, in his opinion, lead to an understanding of the difference between a real Reason of State and a false and evil one, the former being inspired by the “Reason” of the Church and the latter not recognizing or respecting it. This essay examines some of the sermons preached by cardinal Federico Borromeo during the main religious festivals, in particular on the Epiphany and on the Patron Saint Day.