The religious rite in Rome will be preceded by the commemoration of the anniversary of the "Battle of Culqualber" with the deposition of a laurel wreath at the "Memorial" of the Arma historical museum, in Piazza Risorgimento, by General Gallitelli and a military representation.
The celebration of the Virgo Fidelis goes back to the 1949, when His Holiness Pius XII officially proclaimed Mary "Virgo Fidelis Patrona of the Carabinieri", fixing the anniversary of it at 21 November: the date on which Christianity celebrates the liturgical feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary at the temple and anniversary of the "Battle of Culqualber".
The 21 November of 1941, in fact, took place one of the bloodiest battles in the land of Africa, in which a whole battalion of Carabinieri sacrificed in the strenuous defense, which lasted for three months, the cornerstone of Culqualber. Those fallen were part of the large group of carabinieri who, in peace and in war, were able to keep faith in the oath given to the extreme sacrifice. The second gold medal for military valor was awarded to the flag of the Arma dei carabinieri, after the one obtained on the occasion of participation in the First World War.
With the Virgo Fidelis, today the weapon also celebrates the "Orphan's Day", established in 1996, which represents for the carabinieri and for the ONAOMAC (National Assistance for Orphans of the Military of the Carabinieri) a concrete moment of closeness to the families of disappeared colleagues, through the delivery, in the morning, at the official school in Rome, of OMRI honors to widows as well as scholarships and prizes to orphans who are most distinguished in their academic commitment.
Virgo Fidelis
With this name the Virgin Mary has become Patroness of the Carabinieri of the 11 November 1949, the date of promulgation of the Apostolic Act of Pope Pius XII that in this sense had accepted the unanimous vote of the chaplains of the Army and the military ordinary for Italy. The title of "Virgo Fedelis" has been solicited in relation to the heraldic motto of the "Faithful throughout the centuries".
The combination of the two celebrations is not accidental: when in 1949 Pope Pius XII established the Marian Patronage "on the military called Carabinieri", he set the anniversary for the November 21 not only in memory of the supreme consecration of the Mother of God, but also because on that same day of the 1941 "a host of soldiers with the supreme sacrifice of life in the whole town Culqualber died" (EODEM DIE MILITUM COHORTIS SUPREMO VITAE SACRIFICIO IN LOCO CULQUALBER TOTA OCCUBUIT).
The Carabiniere's prayer at the "Virgo Fedelis" is by Archbishop Carlo Alberto di Cavallerleone, who was a military officer in the 1949. Here is the text:
"The most sweet and glorious Mother of God is ours, we Carabinieri of Italy, to you we raise your thoughts reverently, trust your prayer and fervently your heart! You who our Legions invoke comforting and protector with the title of "Virgo Fidelis", You welcome all our good intentions and make them vigor and light for our Country. You accompany our vigilance, You advise our saying, You animate our action, You sustain our sacrifice, You inflame our devotion!
And from one end of Italy to the other, it inspires in each of us the enthusiasm to witness, with fidelity to death, the love of God and to the Italian brothers. And so be it!"
Source: General Command of the Carabinieri - V Department - SM - Press Office
