After the end of papal rule and annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870, the town took on its current name, San Vito Romano, by Royal Decree of 16 May 1872, thus distinguishing itself from the other Italian towns called San Vito.
Among the most illustrious figures linked to the town is Guido Baccelli, physician and politician, several times Minister of Public Instruction. In 1898 he promoted the establishment of the Festa degli Alberi (Tree Festival), celebrated for the first time in Italy in November of that year.
The 20th century also brought painful pages. During the Second World War, San Vito Romano was caught up in the dramatic events of the German troops’ retreat and suffered episodes of violence that caused civilian casualties, in particular on 1 May and 5 June 1944. These events have remained deeply etched in the community’s memory.
In the same period, the Villino Pacini, near the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Compigliano, was used by German forces as an operational base. The German military presence and the events of the spring of 1944 are among the most dramatic pages in the recent history of San Vito Romano.