This morning, in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, the “Granadiers of Sardinia” honored, with their departments lined up in arms, the religious function in suffrage of Don Alberto Genovese, Duke of San Pietro on the anniversary of his death .
The function celebrated by his Most Reverend Excellency Monsignor Santo Marcianò, military ordinary for Italy, and concelebrated by the military chaplain of the brigade, Father Pier Luca Bancale, saw the War Flags of the 1st and 2nd “Granadiers of Sardinia” regiments deployed and of the 3rd Command and Tactical Support Department Grenadiers “Guards”, Flags which, together, count 4 Gold Medals for Military Valor.
With today’s ceremony the Grenadiers remember their benefactor, Don Alberto Genovese, Duke of San Pietro, Sardinian patrician, son of Don Bernardino Antonio Genovese who, on 10 July 1744, established the regiment of Sardinia in Cagliari, at his expense (which became “Hunters of Sardinia” on 20 April 1850) with the aim of guaranteeing the safety of the colonists who had just landed on the island. In 1776, Don Alberto Genovese donated 120,000 old Piedmont lire to the Regiment, establishing the use of their income in a special “testamentary” writing for the establishment and subsequent maintenance of regimental music, as well as to help the widows of fallen soldiers. He also arranged for it to be celebrated: “perpetually… anniversary in suffrage and in memory of him, Mr. Duke Albert, on the anniversary of his death”.
Since then the Grenadiers of Sardinia on 18 February of each year, even in war and in captivity, have honored their commitment of loyalty in arms, remembering, in addition to the generous duke, also the sacrifice of all those who, in over three and a half centuries of history of the specialty, they fell in the performance of their duty wearing the “White Alamari”, symbol of unity.
The ceremony was attended by political, military and civil authorities, including the prefect of Rome, Dr. Lamberto Giannini, the commander of the Army training, specialization and doctrine command (COMFORDOT), gen. ca Carlo Lamanna, the head of the general affairs department of SME, division general Paolo Raudino and the commander of the “Granatieri di Sardegna” brigade, brigadier general Giovanni Brafa Musicoro, representatives of the Combatant and Army Associations and Roman citizens. The presence of the direct line descendants of Don Alberto Genovese is significant, demonstrating an attachment to a more than one hundred year old tradition which has always seen them participating and close to the “Giants with the Alamari”.
The Granatieri brigade participates in all the operations in which the Italian Army is involved, abroad – having just returned from Lebanon – and at home, as part of the “Safe Roads” operation.
In addition to the many operational and training activities, there are the fundamental commitments of High Representation at the most important national institutions, services also carried out by the “Lancieri di Montebello” regiment (8th).