The Healing of the Deadly Wound

 
Lateran, the Treaty of the. A treaty made between the Holy See (Pope Pius XI) and the Kingdom of Italy (King Victor Emmanuel III) on Feb. 11, 1929.... By this treaty Italy recognizes the de iure and de facto international sovereignty of the Holy See with its absolute sole jurisdiction over a state called the City of the Vatican. --A Catholic Dictionary, ed. by Donald Attwater (3d ed.; 1958), p. 282. Copyright 1958 by The Macmillian Company, New York

[Headlines:] Moussolini and Gasparri Sign Historic Roman Pact... Heal Wound of Many Years...
Rome, Feb. 11 (AP)--The Roman question tonight was a thing of the past and the Vatican was at peace with Italy. The formal accomplishment of this today was the exchange of signatures in the historic Palace of St. John lateran by two noteworthy plenipotentiaries, Cardinal Gasparri for Pope Pius XI and Premier Mussolini for King Victor Emmanuel III. In affixing the autographs to the memorable document, healing the wound which has festered since 1870, extreme cordiality was displayed on both sides. --San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1929, p. 1

Rome--Pope John Paul II made a historic speech to Italy's parliament Thursday, urging Italians to work for world peace, uphold their Christian values and have more babies. The visit--the first time a pope has appeared before the Italian parliament--underscored the warmth that the country feels for the Polish-born John Paul, the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years. It also showed Italy and the Roman Catholic Church have healed wounds that a century ago prompted popes to call themselves "prisoners" of the Vatican rather than accept Italy's government as legitimate. --Excerpt from an article by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, November 15, 2002