Guarene, 1825 A tragic news story few people know about

There are crimes that remain hidden forever, others that resurface by chance after many years and are capable of shaking consciences. Some of these happen at delicate moments in history, while the country is changing or, as in the case we are about to recount, being born.

It all begins with a sinister discovery: the body of a priest is discovered during restoration work under the floor of the Church of the Santissima Annunziata in Guarene.

It was from this fact that Guarene writer Grazia Delpiano‘s research journey began, culminating in the publication of the book Tragico fatto di cronaca avvenuto nella comunità di Guarene nel 1825.

Grazia does not simply recount the facts, the historical context and the protagonists. With sensitivity and tenacity, she undertakes a profound quest that traverses collective and personal memory, leading, as we shall see, to a path of reconciliation.

The book presentation and theatrical performance

Grazia’s book is a work that weaves together literature, history and psychology. It will be presented on Friday, June 20, at 9 p.m. at the Guarene Library.

The text will also star in a theatrical performance: an animated reading staged by the actors of the L’Angelo Azzurro Theater Company in the picturesque setting of the Church of the Santissima Annunziata on the evening of Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 9 p.m.

The book will be available for purchase, for a fee of 10.00 €, both during the presentation and at the performance.

A conversation with Grazia Delpiano

The author guides us on her research journey, among period documents, trial records and fragments of collective memory, patiently reconstructing the contours of a forgotten affair known to few.

Grazia, let’s reconstruct the facts: what happened in Guarene in 1825?

Grazia — Without going into too much detail, so as not to take the suspense away from those who will attend the theatrical reading, we can anticipate that in September 1825 the archpriest of Guarene, Don Pietro Maria Romero of a high-ranking family, was assassinated by a gunshot inside the parish church while he was administering the sacrament of Confession. He died three days later and was buried under the floor of the same church.

Were there any judicial developments? Was there a perpetrator?

Grazia — young Guarenese Giuseppe Ferrero was found guilty solely on the basis of indirect and circumstantial elements, and tried-as we would say today-by summary trial.

In less than two months the proceedings ended with his death sentence: he was hanged and his body was burned in the square as a warning before the people.

In what political and social climate did the crime take place?

Grazia — In 1820 Piedmont was under the restoration of the Savoy dynasty, which had restored the political and social order prior to Napoleon.

The monarchy was absolute, noble privileges had been reinstated, and the Church had regained enormous power, returning to control many aspects of civic life, education and justice.

The climate was strongly conservative and repressive. However, liberal and constitutional ideas were beginning to circulate among some bourgeois and military circles, which would result in the uprisings of 1821.

How did your passion for this issue come about?

Grazia — It all stemmed from my interest in history, and my first thought was to write about what happened.

After hearing about the episode, I began to collect testimonies, interviewing people and weaving together their memories. From this initial work, in 2017, the first version of the play was born.

As time went on, however, I began to notice some inconsistencies in the stories: thus, I switched from collective memory to more rigorous, critical and less subjectivity-influenced historical research.

You have done painstaking research work. Did you have difficulty accessing documents or archives?

Grazia — I found help and helpfulness in all the people who helped me with the research and whom I thanked individually in the book tracing the story. An important push, especially in the beginning, was given to me by the a young man from Guarene who stimulated me to tell the facts.

What was it like for you to read the original acts and testimonies?

Grazia — The most exciting part was reading in the court documents the names of the people involved, their characteristics, their being educated or illiterate: they were residents of Guarene from two centuries ago, my fellow citizens, who stated their generalities before the judge.

Reading the death sentence was equally touching, even more so knowing that it was a young man.

These are the original handwritten texts, which are difficult to understand, often full of gaps, abbreviations and sometimes unintelligible passages.

What tensions might have lurked behind Don Romero’s assassination?

Grazia — As a prominent figure in the Church, Romero sought to restore ecclesiastical privileges that the Napoleonic era had swept away.

Don Romero was an affluent and temperamental man who had done much for the community and the parish church, going so far as to confiscate land and property from fraternities, often in conflict with the parishes. This had attracted him no small amount of hostility.

It was an intent that probably offended the revolutionary bangs of the time, including secret societies, Carbonari and other opponents of clerical power. In a historical climate marked by deep tensions and a Church that was once again exerting capillary control over people’s lives, souls as well as material goods, his action did not go unnoticed.

After your research work, what idea did you get of what happened?

Grazia — This was a political crime: the Archpriest had to be murdered right in the church, while he was performing his religious functions, to give the act an even stronger symbolic meaning.

Similarly, the hanging of Giuseppe Ferrero, raised in the faith but determined to refuse religious comforts before being put to death, also takes on a political and ideological value: his rejection of the Church was not only personal, but represented a precise stance against ecclesiastical authority.

Memory, with time, fades. Can such an event not leave a deep wound in the Guarene community?

Grazia — Thanks to my training in psychology, I know that reconciliation is a journey in which everyone takes responsibility and tells their own truth, dissolving the distance between history and memory.

In the play, I wanted to represent this process: each character tells his or her own story and offers his or her own point of view, allowing a deeper understanding of collective dynamics and new perspectives on ancient wounds.

In your opinion, are there any lessons or reflections we can draw from it today?

Grazia — Accepting what has been, however difficult, means accepting reality as it is in the face of an uncertain and unpredictable fate. Moreover, it is clear that justice is rarely equal for all: the poorer you are, the fewer rights you have.

Talking about you: who is Grazia Delpiano

Grazia — Who am I? Difficult to tell myself through the roles I have lived: professional, scholar, writer, but always driven by the desire to learn, to challenge myself, to follow what I am passionate about. If I had to define myself in two words, I would say that I am a curious researcher.