Festa della Repubblica, the day when Italy celebrates its most important institution, is upon us: on the 2nd of June, our  streets fill with the tricolore,  the Frecce fly over the skies of Rome, while Via dei Fori Imperiali turns into a stage for our  Armed Forces, all parading in high uniform under the proud, attentive eye of the President. 

But this is what happens usually. This year, of course,  things will be different. There won’t be  any parade in Rome, nor official gatherings anywhere else in Italy:  the Frecce Tricolori will carry on as usual,  to bring the  bright colors of our flag high up over the roofs of the Eternal City, as if the world beneath hadn’t changed — but we  all know it has.