Brescia Alpini Gathering: Rain, Participation, and Veteran Stories
Rain over the 73rd National Alpini Gathering: “Let the sky unleash itself, so that when the parade starts there will be nothing left to rain down.” Rain or shine, the eve of the parade of the “penne nere” (black feathers), which today will cross Brescia (a 5-kilometer route starting from Piazza Garibaldi and reaching Piazzale Cremona, where on the authorities’ stage are expected Defense Minister Sergio Mattarella, Chief of Defense General Mario Arpino, Deputy Speaker of the Chamber Carlo Giovanardi, and Lombardy Region President Roberto Formigoni), experienced its traditional crescendo of enthusiasm and joy, until the city was paralyzed — closed and content.
Sentiments and Participation Methods
Strange Lioness: ready to roar when “ecological Sundays” ban motor vehicles, yet capable of being so gentle and playful when car restrictions become necessary to yield to the lively, uninterrupted stream of black feathers. It is a city that reflects itself in its Alpini, embracing them, stopping and trying to hold them back, opening the gates of courtyards to offer shelter to musicians and singers caught in the rain.
Organization and Number of Participants
All around, a flow of wagons, carts, and motor vehicles with undefined shapes, adorned with the tricolor and black feathers. The chaos, endured and suffered, is managed by security forces and rescue personnel, who struggle to make their way through the crowd to respond to emergencies: 700 interventions recorded by the emergency services (118) over two days. For today, additional foot teams have been deployed.
Alpini Efforts and the Walking Route
The numbers of this peaceful invasion remain uncertain. As of yesterday evening, highways reported convoys moving towards Brescia. Not all Alpini travel by car: like the seven from Laives (Bolzano), dressed in alpine style clothing and equipped with hiking boots, who arrived at Piazza Loggia yesterday afternoon amidst the first raindrops, faces reddened from effort but smiling brightly.
Veterans’ Testimony and the Walking Journey
Without saying a word, “the old man,” older than the others, pulled out a white sheet from his pocket and began reading his prayer, that of the Alpino. Only afterward did he agree to share: “Two hundred and ten kilometers, all on foot. Two comrades followed us with a van to transport heavy gear like tents and food. But our legs carried us the entire distance by themselves.” With such training, today’s parade for these seven “veci” (old-timers) feels like a walk in the park.