Public Lecture by dr. Giulio Dalla Grana “New Perspectives on Towianism: from Lithuania to Italy (1828-194?)

We invite you attend a public lecture by dr. Giulio Dalla Grana on “New Perspectives on Towianism: from Lithuania to Italy (1828-194?). The lecture will take place on February 19, 16:00 at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) Faculty of Humanities (V. Putvinskio g. 23, room 103). Moderator: dr. Adas Diržys.

The lecture is organized by: VMU Department of Philosophy and the Lithuanian Esoteric Studies Group at the Lithuanian Society of Religious Studies.

Towianism was the doctrine of the religious movement for social reformation named after Andrzej Towiański (1799-1878). A member of the Supreme Court of Vilnius, Towiański experienced a divine illumination in 1828, after which he began travelling across Central–Eastern Europe to spread the message he claimed to have received. From 1840, following his move to Paris, Towianism began to gain traction, leading to the formation of “Circles” in various Central–Western European cities.

Towiański preached a vision of social renewal founded on Christian virtues, which he believed would usher in a “Higher Christian Epoch”. He sought the spiritual reformation of individuals as a means to achieve the Christianisation of international relations, ultimately leading to the political recognition of nationalities. Following the teachings of their “Master”, the Towianists actively participated in the processes of Nation-State formation, from the Spring of Nations to the First World War.

After Towiański’s death in 1878, the Italian Circle assumed leadership of the movement, fostering intellectual collaborations between Towianists and Polish scholars, particularly at the Stefan Batory University of Vilnius. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Towianist relations were abruptly severed, as was academic interest in Towianism in the Soviet-influenced Baltic region.

Giulio Dalla Grana obtained his PhD in 2024 through a joint programme between the University of Turin (Department of Historical Studies) and the University of Amsterdam (Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents). He graduated in Political Science and International Studies as part of a double-degree programme between the University of Padua and the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. His research primarily focuses on the relationship between political power and religious authority, the history of political and religious movements in early modern and modern history, and the mutual interweaving of political and religious ideas.

His research on Towianism led to the retrieval of thousands of documents dispersed across Poland, Lithuania, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Vatican City. His doctoral dissertation employed a microhistorical methodology to reconstruct a history of the Towianist movement, significantly surpassing the dominant narratives on the subject.

The event will be photographed and/or filmed; therefore, please note that you might be featured in photos or videos which can be published in various media outlets.