【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2020 年 10月 06 日意大利都靈訊】 ─ 這真是難以置信：一部110年前的慈幼會電影出現了！不，這不是假消息，卻是真實的。這是來自慈幼會「攝影」檔案處，現委託都靈電影博物館及國家電影檔案處——CSC作修復工程，一種古典的味道就這樣散發出來：這是一輯黑白默片，全長八分鐘，記錄著盧華神父葬禮的重要場面（1910年4月6至9日）。片中運用巧妙的角度，記錄了華道角不同地方、聖母進教之佑廣場及周邊地區的情形。如需收看，可按下面的影片地址，便可看到盧華神父的葬禮，以及都靈這難忘的三天。
鮑思高神父在1888年舉行的葬禮令人難忘，因為他的聖德聞名普世；但盧華神父也是一樣，人們可從影片看到這一點，勝於千言萬語。影片中可看到鮑思高神父的房間（即後來留下給盧華神父使用的）、華道角多所聖堂、當時聖堂旁邊拱廊的面貌、院子、入口，以及不須多作說明的很多首批慈幼會士人物及面孔：穿上祭衣的李納德神父，他的旁邊是總部議會秘書，有名的雷蒙恩神父(Giovani Battista Lemoyne)，多名議員包括巴培理思神父、歐培拉神父、謝理雅神父、畢塞特神父、法蘭齊濟亞神父及多位早期慈幼會士。他們陪伴著這第二位慈父，盧華神父，進入聖母進教之佑大殿參與他的隆重葬禮，盧華神父與鮑思高神父對分一切，現已與鮑思高神父一起在天國裡。
我們看到葬禮大隊，走過鄰近的街道，然後返回聖堂：在青年人的旁邊，有樂隊、協進會會員、修士、神職人員、貴族、名流、官員、五位主教、長上、教會人士及舊同學，還有數不清的群眾，形成壯觀的隊伍行列，尤其在viale Regina Margherita旁邊的小巷裡。撇除當年技術限制而令影像搖晃不計，影片本身是富動感的：Letizia of Savoy公主的車輛，離開華道角時，很多慈幼會高層人士向她致候；在Regina Margherita沿途的行人，向靈柩致敬；馬車、汽車及電車穿梭往來。影片中可看到1910年4月，豔陽中的都靈下午的美好景象，當靈柩在第二天，安葬於楊柳谷鮑思高墳墓右邊牆上的龕位，等候升上祭台，畫面便隨之結束。
希望都靈市民對他的認知，不只停留在傑出人士的層面，更了解他是一位鮑思高偉大的繼承人，能夠保持慈幼會事業的名聲。他們還要對當年抱有遠見，把這些影像留存給我們的慈幼會士，表示一份鑑賞與感謝。在電影技術剛面世的時代，他們確是「進步的先驅」。
A “scoop” for the month of Fr Rua
(ANS – Italy–Turin, 06 October 2020) – It would be hard to believe: a Salesian film from 110 years ago! No, it is not fake news, but a real scoop. From the Salesian “photographic” archives, entrusted to the Turin Cinema Museum and the National Corporate Cinema Archive – CSC for their restoration, a first delicacy has recently emerged: a silent motion picture, in black and white, lasting eight minutes which films the salient moments of Fr Michele Rua’s funeral (6-9 April 1910). All made via the good and intelligent positioning of the camera in various places in Valdocco, in Piazza Maria Ausiliatrice, and the neighborhood. To watch, connect to the Vimeo address below to see Fr Rua’s grand funeral, and those three unforgettable days in Turin.
Don Bosco’s in 1888 had been a memorable funeral, so universal was the fame of his holiness; but Fr Rua’s was equally so, as one can see from the film, more eloquent than many words. The small rooms of Don Bosco and then of Fr Rua, the various churches of Valdocco, the adjoining arcades of the time, the courtyards, the entrance, as well as the many figures and faces of the very first Salesians all speak for themselves: Fr Filippo Rinaldi in priestly vestments, next to him the Secretary of the Superior Chapter (the famous Fr Giovani Battista Lemoyne), the Councilors Fr Barberis, Fr Albera, Fr Cerruti, Fr Piscetta, Fr Francesia, and many other early Salesians. They accompany their second father, Fr Rua, the one who had gone halfway with Don Bosco and who had now joined him in Heaven, to the church of Mary Help of Christians for the solemn funeral.
We see the funeral procession through the adjacent streets and back to the church: young people with musical bands, associations and brotherhoods, clergy, nobles, notables, authorities, five bishops, Superiors, ecclesiastical and lay past pupils and an incalculable crowd of people which form a wing especially along the alley of viale Regina Margherita. If the images wobble due to the technique of the time, the film is movement in itself: the carriage of Princess Letizia of Savoy leaving Valdocco greeted by the most authoritative Salesians, the pedestrians crossing via Regina Margherita to pay homage to the passage of the coffin, horse-drawn carriages that come and go, cars and trams. A wonderful and ongoing snapshot of a sunny afternoon on Turin in April 1910, which is completed when the coffin, the next day, is buried in the niche on the right wall of Don Bosco’s tomb in Valsalice, awaiting ascent on the altars.
If the city of Turin acknowledged him not only as one of its illustrious fellow citizens but also as a worthy successor of Don Bosco, capable of maintaining the reputation of the Salesian work unaltered, all that remains is to express great admiration and gratitude to the Salesians of the time for their foresight in having promoted these images, which have now come down to us. At the dawn of cinema they were indeed “in the vanguard of progress”.