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Tonight I attended a Mass and Reception to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification. The event took place at St Andrew's Cathedral in the Nethergate. The Italian community in Dundee have played a significant role in the development of Dundee in the last century or so. Dundonians also have a love for all things Italian, especially the food!
Today was the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, he is the patron saint of Italy. He is also worthy of remembering given his commitment to peace and to the environment.
At the Mass Canon Aldo Angelosanto spoke about the Risorgimento and the unification of Italy. He pointed out that the Catholic Church had not been in favour of Italian unification in the nineteenth century. It is interesting to note that in the 1850s and 1860s Rev Dr Stephen Keenan, one of Dundee's priests preached against Italian unification in the same church. Indeed there is a large memorial to Dr Keenan in the Cathedral. Canon Aldo drew attention to the legacy of St Francis in promoting peace and how his legacy is used to promote peace up to the present day.
Bailie Rod Wallace represented the Lord Provost and the city at the event and spoke at the reception about the contribution of the Italian community to the city of Dundee. He also spoke of the popularity of Garibaldi in Dundee in the 1850s and 1860s.
This was a very interesting celebration which was partly organised by the Club Romano which represents the Italian community in Dundee, and is based in the West End.