Padua Group of Guards of the Pantheon Visits Historic Battle Sites

Every year, numerous visitors come to the historic sites of San Martino and Solferino, where in 1859 one of the bloodiest battles of our Risorgimento took place.

National Institute for the Guard of Honor at the Tombs of the Pantheon

Among them, a few days ago, a special group: National Institute for the Guard of Honor at the Tombs of the Pantheon. The group came from Padua and was led by Retired Gen. Pietro Grassi, delegate for the Provinces of Padua and Rovigo.

With him were also Dr. Giulio De Re’ noche, press officer of the Italian Monarchist Movement, and Dr. Rossella Filippone, regional President of Veneto, also of the Italian Monarchist Movement. The group visited the places and monuments commemorating the largest battle of the Second War of Independence, which also saw the presence of King Victor Emmanuel II.

The Guards of the Pantheon

General Pietro Grassi explained to us what the “Guards of the Pantheon” are. The idea was born from some survivors of the Risorgimento battles after the death of Vittorio Emanuele II in 1878.

The proposal was: each member guards the tomb of the King for two hours a year. Of course, this was later extended to include other royalty as well. The Association was officially established by the Royal Decree signed by Umberto I.

Today, it remains among the associations legally recognized by the Ministry of Defense. It has about five thousand members, with approximately ninety in the Padua Group, of which a delegation attended the funeral of Italy’s last queen, Maria Josè.