Proclamazione

Proclamazione is a formal public announcement issued by an authority to declare a fact, status, policy, or event. It is used in political, legal, religious, and cultural contexts and often carries ceremonial weight.

Etymology: The term comes from Latin proclamatio, from pro- “forth” + clamare “to cry out,” originally meaning a public announcement proclaimed aloud to a crowd.

Contexts and usage: In political history, proclamations publicly declare a new sovereign, the beginning of a war or peace, independence, or the establishment of a state or regime. A state or city may issue proclamations to declare a holiday, a day of mourning, or the installation of a government. In religion, certain announcements concerning saints, beatifications, or liturgical changes can be described as proclamations. In law, the term is sometimes used for announcements of official acts, though the technical term for making laws effective is promulgazione; proclaimare is the act of public declaration, while promulgazione formalizes enforceability.

Examples: The proclamazione della Repubblica is the historical Italian proclamation following the 1946 referendum. Later proclamations may announce holidays or official proclamations of prizes or titles.

See also: Dichiarazione, Promulgazione, Canonizzazione.

Note: In Italian, proclamazione is often used where English uses “proclamation,” with nuance of a solemn or formal public announcement.