italy

3 articles

Apr30

1945Who founded the Rangers of the United States Army?

Brigadier General William Orlando Darby, born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas, founded the famed United States Army Rangers during World War II. Known for his frontline leadership, Darby organized and led America’s first Ranger Battalion, which became legendary for its daring operations from North Africa to Italy. A tragic chapter unfolded at Cisterna during the Anzio campaign, where of the 767 Rangers sent into battle, 761 were killed or captured in a single night on January 30, 1944. Today, his legacy endures not only in military tradition but also through a striking bronze statue in Fort Smith, unveiled on April 30, 2016—exactly 71 years after Darby’s death in Italy just two days before Germany’s surrender.

Jan12

1944What were the Battles of Monte Cassino during the Second World War?

The Battles of Monte Cassino took place in central Italy, where Allied forces fought to break through the German Gustav Line and capture Rome during the Second World War. These brutal battles were pivotal in the Italian Campaign, with Monte Cassino’s ancient Benedictine monastery becoming the focus of intense and costly fighting. Beginning on 12 January 1944, it took four major assaults and resulted in more than 50,000 Allied casualties before victory was achieved. Today, the Cassino War Cemetery holds over 4,200 Commonwealth graves—among them, 855 Canadians—and stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of those who fell in one of the war’s bloodiest chapters.

Dec3

1552What is the veneration of relics?

The veneration of relics, a centuries-old tradition in Christianity, takes on vivid meaning with the arm of St. Francis Xavier, one of history's most renowned missionaries, touring Canada in 2018. Revered for his daring missions across Asia and his role as co-founder of the Jesuits, Xavier is believed to have baptized nearly 100,000 people with the very arm now displayed. For the first time, this extraordinary relic made a 14-city pilgrimage across Canada, drawing thousands in celebration of faith and history. Remarkably, his arm and body have remained incorrupt since his death in 1552, a phenomenon that has inspired devotion for nearly five centuries.