ABOUT 1,000 MEMBERS OF ITALY'S GROWING DIVORCE LEAGUE HELD A FOUR-HOUR RALLY IN A CINEMA NEAR THE VATICAN CITY IN ROME TODAY (SUNDAY) TO SUPPORT A BILL BEING INTRODUCED IN PARLIAMENT TO MAKE DIVORCE POSSIBLE IN ITALY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE LEAGUE'S FOUNDER, SIGNOR LORIS FORTUNA, A SOCIALIST DEPUTY WHO SPONSORED THE BILL, WAS CHEERED AS HE CALLED FOR NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR "THIS URGENT AND NECESSARY REFORM".

SIGNOR FORTUNA SAID THE RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT DIVORCE WAS THOUSANDS OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN. MANY IN THE AUDIENCE WERE AMONG AN ESTIMATED 5,000,000 ITALIANS LIVING IN ILLEGAL UNIONS BECAUSE, UNDER PRESENT LAWS, THEY CANNOT DIVORCE AND REMARRY. THE DIVORCE LEAGUE CLAIMS A MEMBERSHIP OF SOME 40,000.