Father  Anselm Grün awarded the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal 2023 for “the wisdom of the word that is a guide on the paths of daily life.”

Father Anselm Grün born on 14 January 1945 in Junkershausen,  in 1964, having passed high school leaving examination at the Riemenschneider-Gymnasium in Würzburg, he joined the Benedictine monks at the Münsterschwarzach abbey, where he began his novitiate.

From 1965 to 1971, he studied philosophy and theology at St.  Ottilien and in Rome. In 1974 he received his doctorate in theology. From 1974 to 1976 he studied management in Nuremberg. Since 1977, he has been responsible for the management of the estate of the Münsterschwarzach Abbey.

An expert in psychology and psychotherapy, specialising people
and enterprises management, internal development, overcoming negative feelings and emotions, as well as self-esteem and dignity development.

His first book – “Purity of Heart”  was first published in 1976;  since then he has written 250 publication,
with the total circulation of over 14 million copies. Fr. Anselm offers courses for management boards at the largest German corporations, as well as courses for ordinary people who want to find happiness in their personal lives.

Anselm Grün’s books have been published in over 3 million copies and translated into over 30 languages (including Chinese, Polish, Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, Czech, English, Korean, Romanian, Ukrainian, Estonian, Croatian, Swedish, Hungarian, French, Danish, Serbian, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak).

New rules related to selecting Per Artem Ad Deum laureates selection.

According to “Praedicate Evangelium”, the new Roman Curia apostolic constitution, the former Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Cultures were merged into one body. Thus a new body –   Dicastery for Culture and Education, was created. The next Per Artem Ad Deum laureate will be selected in 2024.

The accolade will be presented at the upcoming International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO.

We wholeheartedly encourage you to submit candidates for the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal 2024. The candidate nomination form is available here.

The award-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore and the hero of Tornatore’s latest documentary, Ennio Morricone, were both awarded the same accolade – the papal Per Artem Ad Deum medal. Ten years elapsed between the award presentation. This unique arch has connected the artists during the final preparation stage for the premiere of the “Ennio” film.

Many years of cooperation and friendship between the director Giuseppe Tornatore and Ennio Morricone have resulted in many outstanding cinematic productions. The Pontifical Council for Culture has recognised both artists’ work and bestowed its Per Artem Ad Deum Medal. The exceptional composer received the award in 2012 at Targi Kielce from the hands of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. This year’s award was presented to Giuseppe Tornatore in the Vatican.

– Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, presenting the Per Artem Ad Deum to Giuseppe Tornatore, recalled the fact that ten years ago, he had personally presented this distinction to Ennio Morricone. This is a beautiful time-arch, considering the fact that Ennio Morricone’s music is a true advantage which only enhances Giuseppe Tornatore’s beautiful films. What is also worth emphasising is the fact that the artists were bound not only by many years’ cooperation but also by a great friendship – emphasised Andrzej Mochoń PhD., President of Targi Kielce.

This year’s winner revealed some backstage details himself. – Some content requires swift film action; others need to be related at a slower pace,  depending on what I want to present. The film featuring Ennio Morricone is really “fast”, because the language of music is the message. The editing method depended on music rather than the visual message. This kind of construction would not make sense in other films – he explains.

He explained that in all films, the essential characters live in symbiosis with the place where they were born. – The conditions created here have an impact on their fate. This way is writing the script is not my rational choice; it’s an interesting coincidence,  as it sometimes contains the meaning of one’s real thoughts. I am convinced that the place where we are born ultimately shapes our character, the way we perceive the world. My way of seeing things is determined by the place where I was born, the education I received, this environment which made it possible to meet certain people – he says.

Giuseppe Tornatore revealed that he identifies with all the characters he has shown in his films. – Though there is one I fully embody. I’m talking about the boy from Cinema Paradiso,  the one fascinated with cinematography from an early age; the boy wants to live inside the scene. He tries to discover how a film is made. His curiosity, and pursuit of a dream, reflect me, both as a boy and as an adult. This curiosity about the cinema has kept me alive all this time; it has been a part of me – he says.

The artist stated that the fact he was awarded the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal resonates in his subsequent works. – He convinces me that you cannot put a story into a cage; each story broadens the horizons. The Pontifical Council for Culture’s Medal will definitely influence my further work. I will reflect more deeply on the content, questioning myself about what is the base of my love for storytelling. We are born to either listen or relate. My profession is privileged in this respect. The “Per Artem Ad Deum” award is a symbol and confirmation that people hear something more in the stories than I originally wanted to present – he emphasised.

It is worth recollecting that in 2012, Ennio Morricone was also presented the Per Artem ad Deum medal  The artist received this award in person at Targi Kielce from the hands of the Pontifical Council for Culture’s chairman, HE Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. The awarding ceremony gained extra splendour owing to the concert; the Świętokrzyskie Philharmonic Orchestra, accompanied by the Krakow Philharmonic Choir, performed a piece by Ennio Morricone, “Tra cielo e terra – between heaven and earth”. This opus was chosen by the composer himself and the Kielce performance was the world premiere.

The  Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been awarded at the Targi Kielce since 2005. Until now, this distinction has been awarded to 30 outstanding laureates.