Editing Monte Cassino (section)

=== Battle of Monte Cassino ===
{{Main article|Battle of Monte Cassino}}
On 15 February 1944 the abbey was nearly destroyed in a series of heavy, American-led air raids. General [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Sir Harold Alexander]], with the support of numerous Allied commanders, ordered the bombing, which was conducted due to several reports from [[British Indian Army]] officers suggesting that German forces were occupying the monastery; the abbey was considered a key observation post by all those who were fighting in the field.<ref>[http://www.americanheritage.com/content/when-i-landed-war-was-over?page=6 "When I Landed the War Was over"], by [[Hughes Rudd]], ''American Heritage'', October/November 1981.</ref> However, during the bombing no German troops were present in the abbey. Subsequent investigations found that the only people killed in the monastery by the bombing were 230 Italian civilians seeking refuge there.<ref>Hapgood & Richardson, p. 211</ref> Following the bombing the ruins of the monastery were occupied by German ''[[Fallschirmjäger]]'' paratroopers of the [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]], due to the ruins providing excellent defensive cover.<ref>Atkinson (2007), pp. 432–441</ref>

The Abbey was rebuilt after the war.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pathé|first=British|title=Monks Rebuilding Monte Cassino|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/monks-rebuilding-monte-cassino|access-date=2020-06-28|website=www.britishpathe.com|language=en-GB}}</ref> In the early 1950s, President of the Italian Republic [[Luigi Einaudi]] gave considerable support to the rebuilding.<ref>''The Abbey of Monte Cassino: An Illustrated Guide'' undated English language publication</ref> [[Pope Paul VI]] consecrated the rebuilt Basilica on 24 October 1964. During reconstruction, the abbey library was housed at the [[Pontifical Abbey of St Jerome-in-the-City]].<ref>{{Cite book
| publisher = Harvard University Press
| isbn = 0674586557
| last = Bloch
| first = Herbert
| title = Monte Cassino in the Middle Ages
| location = Cambridge, MA
| date = 1986
| volume = 1
| page = xix
}}</ref> Until his resignation was accepted by [[Pope Francis]] on 12 June 2013, the Territorial Abbot of Monte Cassino was [[Pietro Vittorelli]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.va/en/news/other-pontifical-acts-341|newspaper=News.va|date=12 June 2013|access-date=22 May 2016|title=Pontifical Acts – 12 June|archive-date=15 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615083629/http://www.news.va/en/news/other-pontifical-acts-341|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Vatican daily bulletin of 23 October 2014 announced that with the appointment of his successor Donato Ogliari, the territory of the abbey outside the immediate monastery grounds had been transferred to the Diocese of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo, now renamed [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo|Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2014/10/23/0784/01660.html|title=Rinunce e nomine, 23.10.2014
 |date=23 October 2014|newspaper=vatican.va|access-date= 3 March 2021}}</ref>