Parishioners at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii marked two important anniversaries Sunday, June 3: Italian Republic Day, commemorating the vote in 1946 when Italy established a republic as its government, and the 30th anniversary of the death of local resident and U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Davino, killed in action in the Vietnam War.

On hand during a Mass celebrated in Italian, a detail from the Illinois Army National Guard posted colors on the altar as a host of dignitaries including Giuseppe Finocchiaro, the Italian consul general for the Midwest area, commemorated both Sgt. Davino’s service and one of Italy’s major holidays with a wreath laying several blocks away at a monument to Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi in Garibaldi Park, 1502 W. Polk St.