A unique 18th-century book that offers insights into the devotional representations of Holy Week in Manresa has been officially donated to the city council. The book, titled La gran tragedia de la Passió y Mort de Jesucrist Nostre Señor representada en Manresa per alguns devots de aquest Divino Misteri, en tots los Dijous, y Festas de Quaresma del Any 1798, was presented by Carles-Jordi Guardiola Noguera, the owner of this singular edition.
This historical document, printed in Manresa in 1798 by Ignasi Abadal, is considered a significant addition to the cultural heritage of the city, as no complete copies are known to exist in any library or archive. The donation ceremony took place at the Manresa City Council and was attended by the mayor, Marc Aloy Guàrdia, as well as other notable figures including Tània Infante Martínez, the councillor for Culture and Language, and Marc Torras Serra, director of the Bages Regional Archive.
During the ceremony, the mayor expressed gratitude for the donation, highlighting its importance for preserving local history. Guardiola, in turn, conveyed his satisfaction in contributing to the conservation of Manresa's cultural heritage. The document will now become part of the collections at the Bages Regional Archive, which has committed to preserving it in optimal conditions and facilitating its dissemination for cultural purposes.
Carles-Jordi Guardiola, born in 1942 in Manresa, is a graduate of the University of Barcelona and has had a significant impact on the Catalan publishing world, having founded and directed Edicions de la Magrana for 25 years. He is an expert on the humanist, writer, and poet Carles Riba and has published numerous studies and works on Catalan literature, language, and culture. In 2022, he released a catalogue of the first books printed in Manresa in the 18th century and was awarded the 2024 Premi Bages de Cultura for his contributions to Catalan culture.
Photo caption: Tània Infante, Marc Aloy, Carles-Jordi Guardiola, Adelaida Ponti, and Marc Torras at the Manresa City Hall today.
