Pro Civitate Christiana

Pro Civitate Christiana (PCC) is an Italian Catholic lay association of apostolate founded in Assisi in December 1939 by Don Giovanni Rossi together with a group of collaborators. Its stated purpose is to "contribute to making the soul of its time Christian, evangelizing in social life, with the spirit of Saint Paul the Apostle, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in filial obedience to the Holy See and the Episcopate." Canonically approved at Christmas of the same year by the Bishop of Assisi, Monsignor Giuseppe Placido Nicolini, as a "pia associazione laicale di apostolato cristiano," it was recognized as a legal person by the Italian State in 1945. The association is based at the Cittadella Laudato si' in Assisi, a complex that serves as a centre of welcome, culture, spirituality and dialogue. Over the decades PCC has been active in publishing, music, cinema, catechesis and cultural events. It participated prominently in the Second Vatican Council, hosting and organizing ecumenical, liturgical, biblical and pastoral events in preparation, and taking part with Don Giovanni Rossi invited as an auditor. Its cultural programme continues today with conferences, spiritual retreats and courses, including events such as "Francesco parla ancora" and "Natale in Cittadella." A significant commercial articulation of the association was the Edizioni Fonografiche e musicali Pro Civitate Christiana, commonly abbreviated PCC, an Italian record label founded in the 1950s. Initially focused on oratorios presented at the Corsi di Studi Cristiani, it later became best known for liturgical music recorded roughly between 1967 and 1975, after the Second Vatican Council, in the "rinnovamento" current known as "messe beat." Artists included Marcello Giombini and his groups Gli Alleluia and Clan Alleluia, along with composers such as Giovanni Maria Rossi, Mario Piatti, Fernando Sulpizi, Luigi Oliveto, Pierangelo Comi and Domenico Machetta. In the 1980s and 1990s the catalogue expanded into choral, instrumental and spiritual music as well as educational audio-visual material. From the early 2000s the PCC label ceased producing music and focused on music therapy courses; in 2024 the record company La Gloria acquired the rights to the recordings and editorial products of the defunct PCC, reissuing some albums digitally. Today Pro Civitate Christiana remains an active lay association governed by a President and a six-member Consiglio direttivo elected every three years by the General Assembly. The current council, led by President Mariano Borgognoni, is in office from 2025 to 2028. The association continues to operate the Cittadella Laudato si' in Assisi as a place of hospitality, cultural encounter and spiritual service.

Pro Civitate Christiana was founded in Assisi in December 1939 by Don Giovanni Rossi with a group of collaborators, as an association of Christian apostolate. Its aim was to "contribute to making the soul of its time Christian, evangelizing in social life, with the spirit of Saint Paul the Apostle, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in filial obedience to the Holy See and the Episcopate." At Christmas of the same year it was canonically approved as a "pia associazione laicale di apostolato cristiano" by the Bishop of Assisi, Monsignor Giuseppe Placido Nicolini. In 1945 it was recognized as a legal person by the Italian State. The association established its headquarters at the Cittadella in Assisi, which became a centre for cultural and spiritual initiatives. Over the years it organized the Corsi di Studi Cristiani (Courses of Christian Studies), conferences, and artistic events. It participated prominently in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), hosting and organizing preparatory events in the ecumenical, liturgical, biblical and pastoral fields, and Don Giovanni Rossi was invited to attend as an auditor. A significant commercial activity was the Edizioni Fonografiche e musicali Pro Civitate Christiana, a record label founded in the 1950s as an articulation of the association. Its first recordings in the 1950s featured oratorios presented at the Corsi di Studi Cristiani, such as "Sanctam per saecula" by Armando Renzi and "Gloriosi Principes" by Domenico Bartolucci. It also engaged with light music through the Sagra della Musica Nova, a festival begun in the late 1950s. The label gained its greatest renown for liturgical music recorded roughly between 1967 and 1975, after the Second Vatican Council, identified with the "rinnovamento" current or, in jargon, "messe beat." Among the artists involved were Marcello Giombini and his groups Gli Alleluia and Clan Alleluia, along with composers such as Giovanni Maria Rossi, Mario Piatti, Fernando Sulpizi, Luigi Oliveto, Pierangelo Comi and Domenico Machetta. In the 1980s and 1990s the repertoire was enriched with choral music, instrumental music, spirituals, and educational audio-visual material including nursery rhymes, songs for children and educators, and "quaderni di musica applicata." From the early 2000s the PCC label ceased producing musical material, dedicating itself exclusively to organizing music therapy courses; from that period there was no longer a head of the musical section of the association. In 2024 the record company La Gloria acquired the ownership of the recordings and editorial products of the now-defunct PCC, publishing some records digitally. In the 21st century, Pro Civitate Christiana continues as a lay association with a renewed statute that values the contribution of married persons and updates its associative and organizational structure. It is governed by a President and a six-member Consiglio direttivo elected every three years by the General Assembly. The current council, with President Mariano Borgognoni, is in office from 2025 to 2028. The Cittadella Laudato si' in Assisi remains active as a place of hospitality, cultural events, and spiritual retreats, with a programme including events such as "Francesco parla ancora" and "Natale in Cittadella."

• 2025

  New PCC council with President Mariano Borgognoni took office for 2025–2028.

• 2024

  La Gloria acquired the rights to PCC recordings and editorial products.

• 2000

  PCC label ceased music production, focusing on music therapy courses.

• 1967

  Beginning of the period of liturgical music recordings known as 'messe beat' (until c. 1975).

• 1962

  Participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965).

• 1950

  PCC record label founded as an articulation of the association.

• 1945

  Recognized as a legal person by the Italian State.

• 1939

  Founded in Assisi by Don Giovanni Rossi; canonically approved as a lay association.

Catholic lay association and cultural centre; historic record label for liturgical renewal music.

• PCC record label

  Record label active from the 1950s, known for liturgical music and 'messe beat'.

• Corsi di Studi Cristiani

  Courses of Christian Studies organized by PCC.

• Sagra della Musica Nova

  Music festival begun in the late 1950s.

1. 1Pro Civitate Christiana - Cittadella Laudato si'cittadella.org
2. 2Statuto - Pro Civitate Christianacittadella.org
3. 3Consiglio - Pro Civitate Christianacittadella.org
4. 4Sinodo - Pro Civitate Christianacittadella.org
5. 5Pro Civitate Christiana - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Edizioni Fonografiche e musicali Pro Civitate Christiana - Wikipediait.wikipedia.org