John L. Allen Jr.
Italian State Police on horseback guard outside St Peter’s Square at the Vatican during Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s visit with Pope Francis in December. Photo: CNS. Last night, 80-year-old Sergio Mattarella was re-elected overwhelmingly as Italy’s President of the Republic, a result that triggered joy both inside parliament and in Italian streets. Mattarella is a widely beloved figure here, perhaps the most popular man in the country, someone who’s demonstrated both keen institutional judgment and also a remarkable ability to capture…
