Battiato to his priest friend: “I’m at peace, I’ve had a beautiful life”

Franco Battiato, the artist-philosopher and father Guidalberto Bormolini, carpenter and luthier in his youth, then consecrated himself to religious life in the community of the Rebuilders in prayer: two friends linked by a particular, uncommon bond. “Franco came to look for me – Father Bormolini reminds the Adnkronos that he is about to reach Sicily where he will celebrate the funeral of his artist friend in a very confidential way-. He had read my writings, especially those on life and death because I also deal with accompanying death. On that occasion he was thinking of a docu-film which he then produced. I did a part: different characters in dialogue with each other without him ever appearing ”. Father Bormolini stayed at the Battiato home for two days for that doc but we immediately understood: “The harmony was born immediately. From then on it was friendship, ”he says. A true friendship, not of circumstance or convenience given the notoriety of the international artist, a friendship in which we spoke frankly, of everything, without filters. Was Battiato a believer? “He was also a Christian, he wanted to be universal but, above all, he didn’t want to be pigeonholed. We were in harmony on issues related to spirituality. Then he wanted to deepen a lot on Christianity: he was a lover of mysticism. In my opinion – he says – his beautiful thing was precisely that for which he did not allow himself to be caught in a definition. I felt his Christian depth, in recent times he was also fascinated by the Tibetan tradition. Above all, he was a sincere researcher. ”Franco Battiato had been ill for some time. An illness lived in great privacy and also shrouded in mystery. Was he afraid of death? “I think not – says the priest friend – on the contrary, death for him was only a passage”. In the moments when the illness had become more critical, Father Guidalberto wanted to understand how his friend felt, to help him, accompany him: “I asked him if he was worried, he said to me: ‘No, I did everything I had to do, I had a good life, I enjoyed it. ‘ And his bright eyes didn’t lie. It seemed so really to me, I also saw him mature. He was of a peace and with an ever sweeter look. Unlike how he might appear in public, he was of great sensitivity, attentive, kind, thoughtful and then the people he surrounded himself were all simple people, even the staff, of the highest professionalism, yet simple people. His manager, the keyboard player, the sound engineer: all friends. The manager is one who does business on the artist’s shoulders, but here the manager was really the friend. And one thing I care about is my thanks to my brother and family who have done so much. I was moved by so much dedication “. Battiato and his priest friend said goodbye for the last time in the pandemic emergency, personal details that Father Bormolini struggles to tell but the intensity is understood:” Unfortunately, Covid did not allow too many contacts, there was the risk of compromising an already undermined health. I was waiting for the summer for a hug, he did it first. ”Father Guidalberto is reaching his friend to say goodbye: he will be the one to celebrate the funeral in a very confidential and completely private way. What will the last goodbye be like? “I think ‘The cure’ embodies much of its content. These then are times of cure: the pandemic has made us rediscover the language of war, now more than ever there is a need for a language of care, for each other, for the planet. What care is worth. ”The friend also regrets the unique artist:“ Our times are struggling to reach the artistic and intellectual level of the last century. I hope it will be overcome, however, it is difficult and I hope that this health and human crisis will make everyone understand how many beautiful things Battiato had together: the intellectual, the poet, the spiritual, the sincere man: we will miss many beautiful things together “. The image of Franco Battiato remains: “Those piercing luminous eyes and the smile that gives great peace”, says the priest friend. Battiato also leaves a demanding spiritual testament: “To believe that there can be a more beautiful world than the one we have. He believed it and offered everything he could. From up there, Franco Battiato reminds us that we need more humanity, more care ”. (by Elena Davolio)