The “Studiorum Auspicatio” and the Cerimonies of the University of Turin in the 18 th Century. Rites and Rituals.

Abstract

The opening ceremony of the University is the main official rite of the Athenaeum still today. In the Early modern age, this ceremony consisted in a procession from the new building planned by Michelangelo Garove to the Cathedral and back. Almost similar to this one, in the Eighteenth Century there were other three processions: at the Annunciation (March 25), at the Assumption (August 15) and at the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8). Furthermore, there were other celebrations: the graduation ceremonies, the Royal ceremonies and the annual public lesson of anatomy, studied by Dino Carpanetto. During the kingdoms of Victor Amadeus II and Charles Emmanuel III, four different editions of the Regie Costituzioni per l’Università regulated all the academic life. Through the analysis of these constitutions, the paper shows the role and the ritual of the academic ceremonies of the University of Turin in the age of Enlightenment.

Keywords: Ceremonial, University, Opening ceremony, processions.