Today, November 21st, in the splendid setting of the Church of San Domenico in Cosenza, HE Most Reverend Mons. Leonardo BonannoBishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Scalea – San Marco Argentano, presided over and officiated the Holy Mass in honor of Mary of Nazareth, Patron Saint of the Carabinieri, Virgo Fidelis since 1949 when Pius XI approved this invocation identified on the proposal of Archbishop Carlo Alberto Ferrero of Cavallerleone.
In the presence of the Provincial Commander Col. Agatino Saverio Spotothe Carabinieri of the Provincial Command gathered brutio close, in a unanimous embrace, to the wives, children and family members of our Carabinieri who lost their lives in service for the State, in the fulfillment of their duty.
Present at the ceremony were the highest authorities of the capital: the Prefect of Cosenza, SE Vittoria Ciaramellathe President of Confcommercio of Cosenza and National Vice-President of the Chambers of CommerceKlaus Algierithe Prosecutor of Cosenza, Dr. Mario Spagnuolothe President of the Court of Cosenza Dr Maria Luisa Mingronethe President of the Province of Cosenza Dr Rosaria Succurrothe Mayor of Cosenza, Avv. Franz Carusothe Vice Quaestor Vicar of Cosenza, Dr. Giuseppe Lanaia, the Commander of the 1st Regiment. Bersaglieri, Col. Francesco Ferrara and the Commander of the Fire Brigade. Eng. Giampiero Rizzo.
Also present were the retired soldiers and the Meritorious members of the ANC Sections of Cosenza – with their President, retired Second Lieutenant Maurizio Saraceno – of Acri – with their President, Giuseppe Vaccaro – of Rende – with their President, retired Lieutenant Domenico Moretti – of Montalto Uffugo – with their President, Emilio Salerno – and of Bisignano with their President, retired Major Marshal Vitaliano Greco.
Mons. Bonanno, during the homily, recalled the solidity of the values embodied, in two centuries of history, by the martyrs of the Army along a line that in the name of Loyalty until deathunites the heroes of Sella Culqualber with Salvo d’Acquisto with the martyrs of Fiesole, with General Dalla Chiesa with the victims of the cowardly attack in Nassiriya and to those soldiers who sacrifice their most precious asset every day in fulfilling their duty to protect national and foreign populations. Values gathered around three virtues, the heritage of every Carabiniere and already belonging to Mary, Mother of Jesus: the fidelity, the compass that does not allow us to go off the path of legality and love towards citizens: it is the virtue of heroism and social reassurance, an ever-alive commitment to pursuing the collective good with stubbornness and rigor in respect of the oath taken; awareness of the commitments undertaken: it is the virtue that makes service a priority over personal needs, which puts the collective good first over the individual one and which makes every Carabiniere a firm believer in the necessity of his own service for the benefit of those communities from which he itself comes. Finally silence: “use to obey in silence” recites one of the oldest mottos of the Army: it is the virtue of accepting one’s mission and the consequent sacrifice, to be accepted as a function of the subsequent and necessary good: the peace of our countries, the affirmation of legality, the victory of State about intimidation and parasitism. Mary too.”he kept all these things meditating on them in his heart“, in a silence that was not only the instrument for achieving the salvation of Man through the sacrifice of his son Jesus, but a metaphor of those who serve others with a concrete presence, but without necessarily wanting to be at the center of the scene .
Finally, the Chief Marshal Annabella Crocco read the “Carabiniere’s Prayer”, which was followed by “Hymn to Virgo Fidelis ”.
At the end of the religious function, the Provincial Commander of the Army, Colonel Spoto, recalled the military events for which the second Gold Medal for Military Valor was granted to the Carabinieri Army: on 21 November 1941 it took place, in East Africa, the Battle of Culqualber. Two companies of Royal Carabinieri, exhausted by three months of siege in defense of a mountain stronghold, were first bombed and then destroyed following a final, ferocious melee. It is the path traced by these men and the martyrs of Nasiriyah that every Carabiniere looks to, drawing inspiration and motivation in the daily fights against terrorism and crime and in the daily commitment to help and reassure our beloved communities.