Friends of Florence Celebrating 25 Years. The best way to thank you for these splendid 25 years of love care generosity and interest from which San Miniato al Monte among others has benefited in a very special way and in perfect synchrony with the first millennium of its own existence lies therefore in our good resolution to imitate you intelligence sobriety industriousness and solicitude are the primary qualities that have always been your hallmark and that we would like not only to applaud but above all to emulate in order that we too together with you can offer our superb heritage of humanistic beauty a radiant future for the whole of mankind. Abbot Padre Bernardo and the Monastic Community of San Miniato al Monte One thing that has always struck me is that the Friends interest in and care for art has never been an end in itself there has always been room for the spiritual or what I might call mystic element thus ensuring that my feeling of gratitude is even more unique and special. Father Giuseppe Pagano Prior of the Basilica of Santo Spirito With the support of the Friends of Florence Palazzo Strozzis exhibitions on ancient and Renaissance art have benefited from the restoration of masterpieces by Donatello Verrocchio Michelangelo Pontormo Giambologna and Bronzino to name but a few.