20 September 1870 marks the end of the temporal power of the Holy See—a date truly worth celebrating by secularists.
XX SEPTEMBER: World Secularism Day
The Capture of Rome (Italian: Presa di Roma) occurred on 20 September 1870, when forces of the Kingdom of Italy took control of the city and the Papal States. Following a plebiscite held on 2 October 1870, Rome was officially declared the capital of Italy on 3 February 1871, completing the unification of Italy (Risorgimento).
The Capture of Rome by the Royal Italian Army brought an end to the Papal States—along with the temporal power of the Holy See—and led to the establishment of Rome as the capital of unified Italy. It is widely commemorated across Italy, especially in cathedral cities, through the naming of streets after the date: Via XX Settembre (spoken form: "Via Venti Settembre").
The Capture of Rome (usually remembered as the Breach of Porta Pia or XX SEPTEMBER) marked the unification of Italy, the restitution of Rome to the Italian nation, and the triumph of secularism.
The Jewish population was released from the ghetto where the Pope had confined them, while heretics and apostates were saved from the gallows to which they had been condemned under the Papal States.
For these reasons, XX SEPTEMBER was a official national holiday in Italy from 1895 until 1930, when the fascist regime abolished it. Regrettably, the Republican Constitution did not restore the observance, and various attempts to reinstate it in subsequent years have failed.
We at the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti, UAAR) believe that this remains a milestone worthy of celebration—not only for Italy and Italian citizens, but for secularists worldwide. It marks the day when the theocratic regime of the "Pope-King" in Rome came to an end, paving the way for progress and secular values across Italy.
XX SETTEMBRE: Always a reason to celebrate.
- Capture of Rome: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Capture_of_Rome - UAAR Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Union_of_Rationalist_Atheists_ and_Agnostics - UAAR Blog Post: https://blog.uaar.it/2021/09/
20/settembre-festa-nazionale- laicita-uguaglianza-progresso/ - UAAR Document: https://www.uaar.it/uaar/
documenti/144.html/
