Il diario di Maria Ravaglioli: l’«autobiografia» spirituale della madre di Nennolina

This article aims to analyze the spiritual experience of Maria Ravaglioli Meo (1891-1961), mother of the Servant of God Antonietta Meo, known as Nennolina (1930-1937), who died prematurely at the age of six and a half. The main part of the essay is the analysis of the pages of the diary which the woman wrote with the aid of her husband Michele, to ensure that the memories of the moments lived with her child would not be lost. Although centered on the daughter, the diary is at the same time an exceptional source for the reconstruction of Maria’s spiritual experience, annotating – albeit sometimes between the lines – the hope, devotion, thoughts and faith of a mother struggling with suffering. In the pages of this involuntary spiritual “autobiography”, Maria writes about her family, the suffering for the loss of three of her four children – two of them very young –, but also the spiritual joys and devotional impulses. From her contribution it clearly emerges how vital the role of faith was for her and how every event was read in the light of a greater plan. A special space is also dedicated to the ideal of holiness that Maria projects on her children, in a secret hope that they could become “saints”.