by InTrieste
On Wednesday, October 8, at 6:30 p.m., the Teatro Verdi in Trieste will host Alessandro Barbero, one of Italy’s most celebrated historians, for a public talk offering a fresh and unexpected perspective on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. The event coincides with the release of Barbero’s latest book, San Francesco, published by Laterza. Admission is free with advance reservation.
In his signature narrative style, blending historical rigor with engaging storytelling, Barbero explores the multiple versions of St. Francis’s life that have come down through the centuries. These include accounts written by friars who knew the saint personally, a later version composed forty years after his death by Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, and other texts rediscovered after having long been suppressed. Through these seven distinct portrayals, Barbero reconstructs a complex and multifaceted image of one of the most revered figures in Christian and Italian tradition—one that challenges the familiar, idealized version of the saint.
The event is organized by Laterza Publishers and promoted by the Municipality of Trieste, with support from the CRTrieste Foundation. Il Piccolo and Nord Est Multimedia serve as media partners.
Reservations open on Saturday, October 4, at 9:00 a.m., with a limit of two tickets per person. Seats can be booked online through Ticketpoint (link here) or in person at the Ticketpoint outlet in Galleria Rossoni, Corso Italia 9, Trieste (open Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.).
The event will also be streamed live on the YouTube channel of the Municipality of Trieste and on Il Piccolo’s website. A book signing with Professor Barbero will follow the talk.
