Mixed Happenings
- June 4th, 2011
- Posted by Lee Duffield
Risorgimento revisited in Rome; old Cold War adversaries playing hot war games together; the EU in gathering pressure on Syria.
PARTY IN ROME
Much parading in the streets of Rome on Thursday, military feathers and finery on a par with the swashbuckling 19th Century legions that brought off the Risorgimento (Resurgence) – the unification of Italy 150 years ago to the day.
Giuseppe Garibaldi himself (picture), leader of the “redshirts”, horsemen for Italy, certainly would have revelled in the crowd of celebrities from 80 countries, in town for the spectacle. … Read More »
Some one-million people were present in St Peter’s Square (1.5.11) for the beatification of the late Pope John-Paul II (picture); the great event not quite eclipsing ongoing tensions within the Catholic Church. 
Hundreds of travellers did not make it, and spent Christmas in airport terminals in Europe, affected by the backlog of flights from a week of bitter weather. 
Mother Mary MacKillop today (17.10.10) was named as the first Australian Saint, at a Vatican religious ceremony. 
Celebrations are taking place all over Europe to mark the end of 2008 and usher in the New Year.
Pope Benedict XVI delivered his traditional Christmas Midnight Mass to a huge congregation at the St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
An Italian Catholic priest is facing severe criticism from parents, as a prize meanie, for telling their children that Father Christmas does not really exist.