A bit earlier this week, on 2 June, Italy celebrated the Festa della Repubblica. The day commemorates the referendum held in 1946, in which the Italian people, following the Second World War and the fall of Fascism, voted on the form that their government would take. With 12,717,923 votes for a republic and 10,719,284 for the monarchy, the male descendants of the House of Savoy were sent into exile.
The day is commemorated each year with a grand military parade held on Via dei Fori Imperiali and presided over by the President of the Republic in the role of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (that’s him, Giorgio Napolitano, in the car below).
It will surprise no reader of eCool to hear that intrepid photographer Susan Sanders was well-positioned at the edge of the parade and snapped some fabulous photographs of Italy’s bravest, fittest, and most fashionable troops. (A referendum held here in the eCool Compound awarded to Italy the title of “Nobody Does it Better. Makes Me Feel Sad for the Rest” in the categories of “uniforms” and “attention to fashion detail.” And you wonder what we do with our time!)
We’re a little late to the party (so what else is new), but this weekend we’re going to join the flag-waving and celebrate the inception of the Italian Republic ourselves by staging a virtual exhibition of Susan’s photos right here on eCool. We’ve got a fabulous lineup on offer today – including the photo above in which the elaborate headgear of the presidential guard is on display – and we’ll be posting more photos tomorrow, so be sure to come back for another visit.
The Italian army was out in full-force, singing loudly as they made their way through the ruins of ancient Rome.
The army was joined by the ski patrol from Italy’s mountainous regions. They were decked out in full gear, complete with skis, snowshoes, and rescue ropes.
We’re in love with this photo showing a medical or sanitary guard (or maybe the Red Cross – admittedly we don’t know much about the armed forces of Italy or anywhere else for that matter) as they stride forward to save the world. The veils! The shoes! The gloves! The serious and determined expressions on their faces! Where were these healers of the body as we weathered the ugliest flu season ever this winter?
The Navy, too, made an appearance. We’re charmed by the expressions of these young enlisted men as they stand at attention in front of the Markets of Trajan.
More marching and uniforms tomorrow, eCoolers, so don’t forget to come back for the rest of this photographic celebration of the Italian Republic! In the meantime, if you need a Rome fix, click on over to Susan’s Rome With A View website.
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