A book by Michel de Certeau, La possession de Loudun, was presented in a book signed by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie (Le Monde, 12/11/1971) entitled Le diable archiviste. For the author of the review, it is the "most diabolical book of the year" in which the French historian "irritates" everyone and he himself remains "indecipherable". This misunderstanding that has not waned, after fifty years, moves us to return to this milestone in the writing of history.

The volume addresses the dual nature of papal government, spiritual and temporal, during the pontificate of Leone XII (1823-1829), through essays by Italian and foreign scholars (Anna Barańska, Edoardo Bressan, Lisa Cattaneo, Andrea Cicerchia, Alessandro Dani, Maria Carmela De Marino, Maria Rosa Di Simone, Marco Fioravanti, Ilaria Fiumi Sermattei, Pierangelo Gentile, Mario Luigi Grignani, François Jankowiak, Chiara Lucrezio Monticelli, Davide Marino, Sandro Notari, Roberto Regoli, Lorenzo Scatena, Ugo Taraborrelli, Luca Topi, Paolo Daniele Truscello)

The third decade of the 19th century was a decisive turning point for the consolidation of a certain vision of the Church's government, for the management of the State, stressed by recent history, in the face of contemporary developments in other Italian and European States. It is necessary to consider beyond the boundaries of the individual pontificates, so that one can speak of a continuity between Pio VII and Leone XII, being able also to formulate the hypothesis of a pragmatism and moderation in the government of the Church and the State by Pope della Genga similar to that achieved in foreign policy, in an overall coherence of the pontificate.

What resources are religions endowed with to educate for a more fraternal humanity? To respond to this question, a study day is organised amongst expert representatives of various religions, including a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Confucian, and an exponent of the traditional African religions.