On the 20th September we commemorate the so-called Breach of Porta Pia. It was
on this very day back in 1870, that through an artillery opened breach in the wall,
a dozen metres to the west of the Roman gate - known as Porta Pia - that the Italian
Bersaglieri soldiers led by Raffaele Cadorna marched down Via Pia, having defeated
Pope Pius IXth's papal troops. Rome subsequently assumed the Italian capital city
status from Florence, and Via Pia was renamed Via XX Settembre. Central to the
140 anniversary celebrations, are the symbolic fortified gates at Porta Pia, which
featured in a light show as part of the celebrations. Equally symbolic was the presence
at the ceremonies of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State when he
visited the Bersagllieri Museum alongside Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and
the mayor of Rome. This is the first time that the Vatican has joined the Italian
State in a ceremony that marks the defeat of the papacy's temoral power by the victorious
new nation state of Italy. During his speech at the ceremony, Cardinal Bertone spoke
of the renewed harmony there is today betwenn civil and church communities and of
their shared goal in building the common good... "...possiamo riconoscere che nel
reciproco rispetto..." But right now, highlighting the role of Pope pius IXth,
I we bring you a taste of that historic moment in a programme written by Jill Bevilacqua,
who takes us on a journey back in time...
"...at two minutes past ten, the
Pope was approached by his Secretary of State, Cardinal Antonelli, who whispered something
in his ear. The Pope's eyes were seen to fill with tears. He said goodbye to his guests
and withdrew..."