Vincenzo Regina

Monsignor Vincenzo Regina was a very important figure of the clergy in Alcamo: he was ordained a priest in December 1932 when Alcamo still belonged to the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo.[1] He always devoted himself to believers and studies,[2] he also taught Letters at the Gymnasium for three years and dogmatic theology in the seminary of Mazara del Vallo from 1937 until 1944.[3]

A protagonist of the last 80 years in the history of Alcamo (as archpriest and parson for 47 years), he gave a great stimulus to the Azione Cattolica and other parish associations.[4]

He was a consultant of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism and published several tens of books on the history, arts and representative figures of Alcamo, handing down, in this way, a patrimony of information very important for young people. Besides, thanks to his continual work of collecting, they could create the Sacred Art Museum in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption.[1]

In 2007 he published a new book with the title "L'associazione antiracket e antiusura alcamese. Istituzione provvidenziale: an answer to the decalogue of the "perfect Mafioso"" discovered inside the den of the boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo.[5] In 2004 he had published another book along the same lines: Arpie del racket. Vampiri dell'usura with documents on the foundation of the Associazione Antiracket e Antiusura of Alcamo.[5]

In the former premises of the Oratory of the Confraternity of Santissimo Sacramento (Very Holy Sacrament), you can admire works of art and devotion that cover about six centuries of the religious history in Alcamo.[6] In the hall of the old Oratory, with a modern and appropriate lighting system, they have arranged, all by date, paintings, statues, Church furnishings, vestments dating back to the beginning of the 15th century and the second half of the 19th century.[6]

These artworks were collected by monsignor Vincenzo Regina, archpriest from 1944 to 1991; in accordance with the suggestions of Second Vatican Council about the care and attention for the ecclesiastical artistic patrimony, after the 1968 Belice earthquake he started collecting various paintings, sculptures and works of different kind, coming from churches that were unfit for use.[7]

• Honorary inspector for Monuments from 1945 to 1988
• Prize to Culture 1971, presented by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.[4]
• Member of the National Council of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism
• Member of the Committee of Sector for Environmental and Architectural Heritage
• Member of the Commission for the awarding of Certificates of Merit for Art and Culture
• Member of the National Commission for the safeguard of old Organs in Italy.

• Alcamo
• Museo d'arte sacra (Alcamo)
• Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta (Alcamo)
• Giuseppe Rizzo (priest)

• Di Natale M.C. Monsignor Vincenzo Regina e il Museo di Alcamo; In M. Vitella (a cura di), Museo d'arte sacra. Basilica Santa Maria Assunta (pp. 13–17); ed.Il Pozzo di Giacobbe, Trapani,2011
• Lo frutto, i 150 anni del Liceo Classico di Alcamo, a cura di Francesco Melia e Gaetano Stellino p. 80; ed. Campo; Alcamo, 2012

• http://www.diocesi.trapani.it/content/view/1041/379/
• http://www.alpauno.com/alcamo-un-convegno-per-ricordare-monsignor-vincenzo-regina/
• http://www.tp24.it/2015/12/10/cultura/alcamo-inaugurazione-della-mostra-la-figura-e-l-opera-di-monsignor-vincenzo-regina/96359
• http://massimoprovenza.blogspot.it/2009/08/monsignor-regina-larciprete-del.html
• http://www.edizionikalos.com/museo-basilica-santa-maria-assunta-alcamo-lunedi-dellarte-kalos/
• http://www.ideazionenews.it/articoli/25237/alcamo-riapre-finalmente-il-castello-con-un-convegno-su-monsignor-regina/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXEVIMAVqJ0
• http://trapani.gds.it/2016/01/08/alcamo-due-milioni-contro-la-grande-sete_458756/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20160128010443/http://www.chiesamadrealcamo.it/