80th anniversary of Allied bombing of S. Lorenzo in 1943.

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella is to attend a ceremony in Rome on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied bombing of the city's S. Lorenzo district in 1943.

The ceremony, scheduled to take place in the Parco dei Caduti at 10.00, is part of a series of commemorative events in memory of the victims of the S. Lorenzo bombing.

On 19 July 1943 Allied planes launched a sustained attack on the S. Lorenzo neighbourhood, adjacent to the capital's central Termini train station, targeting the freight yard and steel factory.

The bombing of S. Lorenzo resulted in 717 deaths and 4,000 wounded, causing widespread structural damage in the area, including to the Basilica di S. Lorenzo fuori le mura.

However the death toll for the city was far higher with the bombing also of the Tiburtino, Prenestino, Casilino, Labicano, Tuscolano and Nomentano districts.

These bombings left 3,000 dead and 11,000 wounded, according to the website of the Museum of Liberation of Rome, destroying 10,000 homes and leaving 40,000 people homeless.

During last Sunday's Angelus, Pope Francis cited the 80th anniversary of the S. Lorenzo bombing, calling for prayers for "the dear Ukrainian people, who are suffering so much.”

“Unfortunately, today too these tragedies are repeated" - Francis said - "How is this possible? Have we forgotten everything?"