On Sunday 20 August 2023 at 19:00, at the Church of Sant’Antonio in Padula, the Presentation of the first documents restored thanks to the fundraising Adopt a Document, launched by the parish priest, Don Giuseppe Radesca, by the director of the Museum of the Surname Michele Cartusciello and from Padula Sacra. During the evening, the Deputy Mayor of Padula, Caterina Di Bianco also spoke; the president of the “Carlo Alberto 1886” social club, Rosanna Dove Ferrigno; the historian Vincenzo Maria Pinto; the journalist Giuseppe D’Amico and the master restorer Rosario Niola.

“This is an important initiative – said Don Giuseppe Radesca – as the Parish Archive of the Mother Church of Padula tells the story of our ancestors and of the life of our small town. The parish books and documents have suffered damage caused by time, and now need urgent restoration. For this reason, the Parish and the Surname Museum invite all citizens to participate in the Adopt a document project. Once the documents have been restored, they will be kept in the parish archive and made available for consultation by historians, scholars or simple enthusiasts: thus a piece of history of our country will be saved which, otherwise, risks being lost forever”.

The project was illustrated by Michele Cartusciello: starting from the motto “Take up for adoption a rare book, a parchment, a manuscript or archival papers that need urgent restoration. The project involves fundraising aimed at the restoration of various archival units that start from the 14th century onwards. We will start with the restoration of the most damaged documents, carefully evaluated by a specialist in the sector. The number of documents that will be restored will depend on the total amount that will be able to be collected. The documents that can be adopted will be listed on the website of the Surname Museum and at the Mother Church of San Michele Arcangelo in Padula. The Museum will send the benefactor a letter certifying the successful outcome of the intervention. The benefactor’s name will appear on the folder in which the restored document will be kept.”