Il diritto ecclesiastico internazionale nel pensiero di Costantino Jannaccone (1883-1962): una nuova scienza nell’Italia coloniale

This paper analyzes the figure of Costantino Jannaccone (1883-1962), professor of Ecclesiastical Law at the University of Pisa. In his scientific work, he focused on the relations between States and religious denominations from the perspective of the intersection between legal systems. This line of research led him to apply extensively the principles governing the position of the Holy See in the international community, to the extent of including, to a certain degree, non-Catholic religions present in Italian colonial territories. The recognition of the particular subjectivity of ethnic and religious minorities meant that State authorities could enter into agreements, known as internal law concordats, to regulate res mixtae, ensure the relevance of religious norms in matters of personal status, and ultimately guarantee social stability. Despite the originality of his insights, which anticipated the choices made by the Constituent Assembly in the formulation of Article 8 of the Italian Constitution, Jannaccone’s work was not given due consideration in the years following World War II.