Assisi hosted a Memorial Ceremony in honour of Guido Dettoni della Grazia, who passed away on 6 March 2026. It was a special occasion that brought together family, friends, colleagues and admirers from around the world to remember and pay tribute to his life, his work and the lasting legacy he leaves behind as an artist, a friend and a human being.
Walk from San Rufino
to Santa Maria delle Rose
Photo: Mauro Berti, Enrica Bruni, Sara Santopaolo, Carles Duarte, Chus Ribó, Maite Seguí
At the end of the Holy Mass held in memory of Guido Dettoni at the Cathedral of San Rufino, all participants made their way to Santa Maria delle Rose, following a route that connected two places deeply linked to the artist’s presence and work in Assisi.
The Grand Master of the Order of the Templars, Mauro Ferretti, carried the sculpture MARIA, which had accompanied the celebration at the altar, while Templar Elena Angeletti carried Guido’s portrait, which had been present during the Mass. They were followed by a formation of members of the Order and all the other participants in the ceremony.
The presence of the Templars held a particularly profound meaning: in Guido’s MARIA, they recognised their own White Madonna of the Mantle, to whom they are devoted. Their participation was also an expression of the deep respect, admiration and friendship that connected them to Guido and his work.
Upon arriving at Santa Maria delle Rose, the sculpture MARIA and Guido’s portrait were placed at the centre of the MARIA Alfa-Omega installation.
The journey symbolically represented the transition from the liturgical to the cultural and artistic dimension: from the celebration of faith at the Cathedral of San Rufino to an encounter with Guido’s work, in a place that has preserved and presented his work for more than twenty years. A natural transition, in which spirituality, art and culture came together through MARIA.
