Italian novelist, a nonbeliever, writes front-page Gospel commentary for Vatican newspaper
April 23, 2025
» Continue to this story on L'Osservatore Romano (Italian)
CWN Editor's Note: An Italian novelist and poet who describes himself as a nonbeliever has written a front-page commentary in L’Osservatore Romano on John 20:19-31, next Sunday’s Gospel reading. The commentary appeared in the Vatican newspaper’s April 22 edition, below the text of Pope Francis’s testament.
The novelist, Erri De Luca, has long had an interest in the Bible and has translated several books of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Italian.
In his commentary, De Luca stayed close to the text of the Gospel as he reflected on the fear of the apostles after the Resurrection and the initial unbelief of Thomas. He began:
Disaster had struck. Their teacher, the guide who had separated them from professions and affections, leading them into the magnificent wandering of the last years, was no longer with them. He had been arrested, tried, crucified.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
They, his disciples, dismayed, had locked themselves in a secluded place. Scripture specifies: behind closed doors. Outside, the hunt for followers raged. Without him, without his serene courage, they felt empty.
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