Abstract

Philosophical speculations of positivist materialism marked the years of Father Agostino Gemelli’s (1878-1959) university education at the University of Pavia, particularly in his in-depth medical laboratory research after his conversion to religion and his joining the Franciscans. These speculations led him to identify medieval religiosity as a fundamental and inalienable element of a new anthropology, which was to become an epistemological prerequisite of access for all sciences rather than a barrier to their progress. For this reason, his proclaimed «medievalism» was adopted as a theoretical-practical presupposition by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, which he founded in 1921 during critical years of political ferment. His «medievalism» was recognized as a subject by academia for the training of a new leadership class. The paper therefore aims to document Agostino Gemelli’s story and explores the roles of his collaborators including Armida Barelli (1882-1852). Assessing her role helps provide an understanding of the importance of the female component. The paper then highlights accordingly the «medieval» particularities included in curricula as well as in education strategies