Mussolini’s fascists formed squads of war veterans known as “Black Shirts,” who would clash with the members of other political parties, particularly communists and socialists. The government harbored deep fears of a communist revolution and rarely interfered, giving Mussolini’s forces relatively free rein.

Blackshirts and Brownshirts: Hitler’s Bullies. Adolf Hitler relied on two criminal organizations to realize his diabolical goals. First, the Brownshirts of the S.A. Stormtroopers helped him attain power via strong-arm street politics and then the Blackshirts of the highly-feared S.S.

Blackshirts (India), an anti-religious atheist quasi-political movement in India. British Union of Fascists, whose party nickname was “Blackshirts” Schutzstaffel (SS), Nazi military organization who had the nickname as they wore black and brown uniforms, compared to the “brownshirts” Sturmabteilung (SA)

The Blackshirts (Italian: camicie nere or squadristi) were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II. The term was later applied to a similar group serving the British Union of Fascists before the War.

Squadrismo became an important asset for the rise of the National Fascist Party led by Benito Mussolini, using violence to systematically eliminate any political parties which were opposed to Italian Fascism.

March on Rome, the insurrection by which Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy in late October 1922. The March marked the beginning of fascist rule and meant the doom of the preceding parliamentary regimes of socialists and liberals.

Upon ratification of the Lateran Treaty, the papacy recognized the state of Italy, with Rome as its capital. Italy in return recognized papal sovereignty over the Vatican City, a minute territory of 44 hectares (109 acres), and secured full independence for the pope. A number of additional measures were agreed upon.

During his pontificate, the longstanding hostility with the Italian government over the status of the papacy and the Church in Italy was successfully resolved in the Lateran Treaty of 1929. He was unable to stop the persecution of the Church and the killing of clergy in Mexico, Spain and the Soviet Union.

The Vatican’s economy is shrouded in secrecy, with some believing its financial numbers are more general than accurate. The Holy See is the governing body of the nation and generates money through donations; it then invests a portion of that money in stocks, bonds, and real estate.

Pope Pius XI

Popes with the longest reigns

• Bl.
• St.
• Leo XIII (1878–1903): 25 years, 5 months and 1 day (9,281 days).
• Pius VI (1775–1799): 24 years, 6 months and 15 days (8,962 days).
• Adrian I (772–795): 23 years, 10 months and 25 days (8,729 days).
• Pius VII (1800–1823): 23 years, 5 months and 7 days (8,560 days).

Pope Benedict IX (Latin: Benedictus IX; c. 1012 – c. 1056), born Theophylactus of Tusculum in Rome, was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States on three occasions between October 1032 and July 1048. Aged approximately 20 at his first election, he is one of the youngest popes in history.

The later development of canon law has been in favor of papal supremacy, leaving no recourse to the removal of a pope involuntarily. The most recent pope to resign was Benedict XVI, who vacated the Holy See on 28 February 2013.

The first 10 minutes of the full video, shows priests and religious officials kissing the pope’s ring after a service on Monday in Loreto, Italy. The papal ring is one of the most powerful symbols of the pontiff’s authority. It is worn on the right hand, and kissing it is a sign of obedience and respect.

“He likes to embrace people and be embraced by people,” Gisotti said. The spokesman noted that the pope does allow individuals to kiss his hand and ring in limited numbers, such as he did with an elderly Italian nun at Wednesday’s general audience when Francis award her for decades of service to the poor in Africa.

The film tells the story of a young ballerina who joins an established ballet company and becomes the lead dancer in a new ballet called The Red Shoes, based on the fairy tale. Her desire to dance conflicts with her need for love, ultimately leading to her death.