When the Irish Brigade played for Pope Pius XII

The Pope’s general audience on 12 June 2024 commemorated an audience granted 80 years ago to the day by Pope Pius XII, when he received 150 members of 38 (Irish) Brigade after the Liberation of Rome.

Pope Francis met a delegation representing the brigade, including the families of men who were there on 12 June 1944, members of Britain’s diplomatic missions in Rome and others with a connection to events leading to the end of the occupation of Italy’s capital.

Following the audience, the pipes and drums of the Royal Irish Regiment played in St Peter’s Square as their predecessors did in the Irish Brigade did in 1944 – weeks before they were involved in a major battle with retreating German forces around Lake Trasimeno north of Rome.

This is London Irish Rifles Colour Sergeant Ted O’Sullivan’s account of the day from his memoir All My Brothers:

On the 12 June, it was announced that 30 Catholics and Irish officers and men from the London Irish, plus the pipe band, had been invited to join the first private audience for the Allies with the Pope. We were already some 30 miles or so north of Rome, so it meant that detachments of the Irish Brigade would have to go back to the city. Each company provided six men and I made sure that I was there.

We were driven back in TCVs led by Brigadier Scott, an Irish Protestant, who did not intend to miss a singular honour for the brigade.

The audience had been arranged by the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See, the brigade major and Fr Dan Kelleher. We arrived at St Peter’s Square and the detachment of about 130 soldiers, including the composite pipe band, entered the Vatican.

In single file, we climbed the carpeted stairway, passing the Swiss Guards in their Michelangelo uniforms. Papal dignitaries, both clerical and lay, were everywhere in a variety of costumes. We filed into the papal consistory chamber: a hall with walls covered in a rich red material just sufficient to accommodate us.

In the front was a small dais upon which the brigadier, Fr Kelleher, the brigade major and the ambassador awaited. As each person entered, they were given a rosary and a papal blessing document. I turned to my neighbours and recognised Irish sergeants who were members of the Orange Order.

At 9am, His Holiness Pope Pius XIII walked in with his dignitaries. He was a quite small figure dressed in a white soutane and a white skull cap. The brigadier knelt and kissed the Pope’s ring. This he did a couple of times later. Despite his Protestantism, the brigadier was obviously thrilled that his brigade was making history.

Pope Pius addressed us in perfect English with but a trace of accent and declared: “Gentlemen of Ireland.” I do not remember exactly what else he said, as my head was in a whirl. I was thrilled to be there.

The Pope’s words, however, were recorded by Brigadier Scott:

“Dearly beloved sons, we bid you welcome. You belong to the nation which has ever belonged to God’s church since St Patrick. We are well aware of the good which the Irish have done in spreading the faith from the shores of their green isle…into many nations. We greet you and bless you with all our hearts’ affection and your dear ones at home. God be with you always…”

Brigadier Scott asked if the Pope would like to hear some pipe music. The massed brigade band in their saffron kilts and caubeens with the various coloured hackles and regimental badges played “Killaloe”.

His Holiness tapped his foot to the beat of the martial music and obviously enjoyed the alien sound. He then blessed our rosaries and other objects and each of us mounted the dais to kneel and kiss his ring. The small Orange detachment remained in place. More pipe music was played and the whole assembly was given the pontifical blessing. The Pope walked out to the sound of pipes and we filed out.

By arrangement, the retreat was beat on the steps of St Peter’s on the large flat surface half way to the entrance. Crowds of clergy stood around clapping and, beyond the square, a vast crowd had gathered.

The Catholics in the detachment, who were in the majority, and many others went into Mass at the Blessed Sacrament altar. I was the master of ceremonies and there were about 10 other servers. I had served Mass in many strange places, but to do so in St Peter’s Cathedral was beyond belief. The basilica was enormous and I could not wait to see over it. The Pieta and the magnificent High Altar will remain in my memory.

At the end of the ceremony, we were dismissed to have the day free until the afternoon. With a couple of others, I toured the cathedral open-mouthed at this splendour in the middle of a war. Rome was untouched having been declared an Open City.

Due to my tour, I missed the invitation to visit the Convent of the Irish Franciscan Sisters which was at the top of the Spanish Steps. Instead, I explored Rome on foot, seeing the Coliseum and other famous historical sites. We embussed in the late afternoon and made our way to the battalion which had advanced that day a further 30 miles or so.

You can read Pat Scott’s account of the day here.