Commemoration of the Via Fani Massacre (Abduction of Aldo Moro)

A site of memory in the heart of the Trionfale district

Via Mario Fani is a residential street like many others in the Trionfale district of Rome, nestled at the foot of Monte Mario. Yet, the intersection with Via Stresa is etched into the history of the Italian Republic: here, on the morning of March 16, 1978, a Red Brigades commando ambushed the motorcade accompanying Aldo Moro, president of the Christian Democracy party, kidnapping him and killing the five men protecting him. Since then, every March 16th, a civic ceremony takes place before the memorial plaque, now a fixture in the institutional calendar of the Capital and the entire Lazio region.

What happened on March 16, 1978

In less than two minutes, nearly ninety rounds of automatic gunfire were unleashed. The victims were Carabinieri Marshal Oreste Leonardi, Constable Domenico Ricci, State Police Deputy Brigadier Francesco Zizzi, and public security officers Giulio Rivera and Raffaele Iozzino. Aldo Moro was held captive for fifty-five days before being killed. The three State Police officers were awarded the Gold Medal for Civil Valor on February 16, 1979, and their names are inscribed in the Shrine of the Fallen at the Police Academy.

How the ceremony unfolds

The commemoration is held annually on the morning of March 16th, in front of the plaque on Via Mario Fani. The central moment is the laying of the laurel wreath by the Mayor of Rome, accompanied by official banners and institutional representatives. Traditionally present are:

• family members of the victims and associations of Victims of Duty;
• honor guards from the State Police, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza;
• representatives of the Lazio Region, the local municipality, and city political forces;
• students from local schools and ordinary citizens.

A military bugle call playing the Last Post concludes the solemn moment. There are no long speeches or elaborate staging: the ceremony lasts just over half an hour and is intentionally essential.

A civic rite, not a celebration

Those arriving on Via Fani on March 16th will find no stalls, music, or entertainment: this is an institutional commemoration and an act of collective memory. In recent years, authorities have emphasized the pedagogical value of the event, with an explicit appeal to future generations so that the memory of what has been defined as one of the darkest moments in national history is not lost. For this reason, participation from Roman schools has grown, and the plaque has become a stop on educational tours regarding the 'Years of Lead'.

Widespread memory across Italy

While the Roman ceremony is the most well-known, March 16th is a date of shared memory: on the same day, wreath-laying ceremonies and moments of reflection are held in numerous Italian cities, particularly in the hometowns of the five fallen bodyguards. In Rome, beyond Via Fani, the memory of Aldo Moro touches other sites linked to the event, from the neighborhood where he lived to the institutional palaces that preserve his legacy.

The neighborhood around the plaque

The Trionfale and Monte Mario areas offer visitors much more than the site of the massacre: the Monte Mario Nature Reserve with its panoramic view of the city, the Astronomical Observatory, and, just minutes away, the Vatican area and the Prati district. Those attending the commemoration can easily combine their visit with an itinerary through northwestern Rome—a less touristy but deeply authentic part of the city.