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ITALIAN CORNER
WINTER 2020 Italian American Digest
The Christmas I Met the Pope
It was December 24 , 1966 . I was stationed in Munich , Germany with the NATO ’ s 3rd Battalion , 70th Armor , 24th Infantry Division . It was 6 o ’ clock in the morning , and after catching a taxi for the train station ( Bahnof ), I was going to spend the Christmas holidays in my native country : Florence , Italy .
When I arrived in the afternoon , I felt that the local people were sad because their beautiful city ( Florence is the city of Arts ) had , only a month earlier , the worst flood on record . The flooding produced by the overflow of the Arno river destroyed , with the water and mud , the many works of art in the city .
But , to my surprise , I soon realized that the city and the people were buzzing with excitement ! The day ' s newspaper headlines read : “ Il Papa stasera a Firenze per la Messa di Mezzanotte ”. Which meant : “ Pope Paul tonight in Florence for the Holy Midnight Mass .” What a historic event this would be !
I hurried to visit my sister , Sister Angela Ventura , a Franciscan nun , and asked if she was planning to attend the midnight Mass at the Cathedral .
She said , “ Of Course , and all the other nuns will participate . And we all
Cav . Joseph Ventura
have our tickets for admission . I knew you were coming , I saved one for you .”
When the time came , 22 nuns and this very excited soldier ( I was a specialistfour at that time ), traveled by bus to Santa Croce Square . His Holiness Pope
Paul VI in 1963 Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Paul VI ( Giovanni Battista Montini ) arrived with the police escort , climbed the church stairs , and spoke to the crowd . He expressed sorrow for the recent city flood but said he was very happy to spend the Christmas night with them .
When he finished , he turned at me and smiled . Noticing my American military uniform , he started talking to me in rapid English .
I wasn ’ t very good with English , and I was having a hard time replying to his questions , so I answered in my native Italian . The Pope , surprised , said to me , “ Sono molto lieto di vedere indossare l ’ uniforme Americana . Sii d ’ esempio al mondo !”
Translated He said , “ I am very glad to see an Italian wearing the GI Uniform . Be an example to the world !” I kissed his holy hand , and cried .
After the Midnight Mass concluded at the Cathedral ( Il Duomo ), I left the nuns and joined a group of American college students who were singing “ Silent Night ”. I sang a solo of the Italian rendition of “ Astro del Ciel !” Later , when an Italian television reporter was interviewing me about my encounter with the pope , the reporter asked me if I would like to “ say a few words to our listeners ?”
My message that night 54 years ago is the same now :
“ Buon Natale my dear friends . Feliz Navidad , and Merry Christmas to you all !”