The Armata Bianca at the Vatican

On December 3, 1980, the Holy Father invited 400 children from the White Army in Aquila to the Nervi Hall at the Vatican:

The IL MESSAGERO newspaper of December 10, 1980: “A rematch for 400” – When Pope John Paul II came to Aquila, at the end of August, amongst the numerous appointments of a day which was full of engagements, he particularly had one with children, on the arrival of his white helicopter at the Aquila stadium. Well, that meeting, which the “Armata Bianca” had organized with such enthusiasm, was a bit mortified due to the tyranny of time: the Pope’s stopover with the children was very short. Then there was a rematch. A festive and enthusiastic rematch, which once again was offered by the “Armata Bianca” which, last week, for a numerous representation of students from Aquila’s elementary schools, had a place of honour at the papal audience, in the Vatican’s immense Paolo VI Hall (…) As John Paul II entered the Hall, he cordially stopped in front of the group from Aquila, while the children sang “Cesc Marii”, the poignant Polish song in honour of Our Lady. The Pope smiled (…) and when it was time to say goodbye the Holy Father once again addressed special words to the children from Aquila: “A special greeting – said the Pope – goes to the 400 children who come from the Archdiocese of Aquila, who with their joyful presence bring a note of Christian enthusiasm and optimism to this audience”.

Not many people remember that on the night of December 2, 1980 the Soviet military tanks were once again at the Polish border. The children from Aquila who went to the audience on December 3 were invited to recite the Rosary so that the Russians would withdraw without entering the country, which would have involved serious consequences: once again the prayer of little ones was heard.