Rome, 19 July 1943

On 19 July 1943, the American Air Force bombed several military targets in Rome. The heavy bombing lasted for approximately three hours. Between 11:00 and 12:00, the Tiburtina freight yard and the industrial plants in the San Lorenzo district were attacked; in the afternoon, planes attacked the city’s two airports – the ‘Scalo del Littorio’ and the Ciampino airport.

Although airdropped pamphlets had warned Rome’s populace in the days before the attack, the number of casualties remained high, particularly in the working-class district of San Lorenzo, where estimates range between 1,600 and 3,200. Not only were the intended military targets hit, but also residential buildings, with damage also done to the San Lorenzo papal basilica and the Verano cemetery. Pius XII visited the district’s affected areas, celebrating mass in the basilica’s ruins. The images of his visit became a symbol of the Italian people's feelings of opposition to the Axis war.