Our Lady of La Difesa is located in the heart of Little
Italy in
Montreal. Inside the church are several frescos, including one that adorns the ceiling. The massive image features various scenes, such as the depiction of Benito Mussolini riding a horse in front of cardinals and Pope Pius XI. The painting commemorates Mussolini’s signing of the Lateran Accords prior to World War II, which designated
Vatican City as a separate state.
The fresco also depicts the Virgin Mary on the top level and the triumphant Church with its saints in the middle. The church was completed in 1919 and was designated a National Historic Site by the Canadian government in 2002.
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