Last Sunday, October 16, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided over the beatification of two Italian priests who were martyred on behalf of Pope Francis in 1943, during the Nazi era. population repression in the village of Boves, in the diocese of Cuneo in northwestern Italy. They are vicar Giuseppe Bernardi, 45 years old, and deputy priest Mario Ghibaudo 23 years old.
G. Tran Duc Anh, OP | RVA
Attending the ordination ceremony at 3 p.m., at the "Our Lady of Bosci" area of Boves, there were thousands of faithful. Concelebrating with Cardinal Semeraro were also four bishops and dozens of priests.
After the armistice on September 8, 1943, the Nazis took control of north-central Italy and chose the village of Boves as a concentration of forces to prevent the escape of Italian soldiers. Many of them hid with militiamen in the mountains, to avoid being captured and sent to Germany. The massacre in the village of Boves occurred due to the clash between the German army and the Italian resistance. Two German soldiers were captured and German reinforcements were brought in under the command of Major Joseph Peiper. He threatened to destroy the village of Boves if he did not release two German soldiers and return the body of another German soldier killed. The major summoned the parish priest Giuseppe Bernardi to ask to mediate with Mr. Antonio Vassallo, the local merchant.
Father Bernardi finished mediating for the two German soldiers to be released, but the Germans did not keep their promise, they arrested him and Vassallo, put him in an armored car and drove around the village, forcing both of them to testify. saw the burning of people's houses. Then the German soldiers took the two to a courtyard, killed them, and burned the bodies. That day was September 19, 1943.
And Father Mario Ghibaudo, 23 years old, had been ordained a priest for two months at the time and was appointed co-vice in Boves. On September 19, 1943, during the German crackdown, he was shot dead by a salvo of machine guns as he approached another person who had just been shot, to give the victim a final confession.
In his homily at the beatification Mass, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recalled the story of the first reading: Moses was assisted in interceding for the Israelites fighting the Amaleck. “Father Bernardi and Ghibaudo can be likened to the two arms of Moses, raised high to intercede for this diocese of Cuneo,” the cardinal said.
During the Annunciation last Sunday, October 16, the Holy Father observed: “In extreme danger, the two priests did not abandon the people entrusted to them, but aided them to the end. bloodshed, sharing the tragic fate of other citizens, destroyed by the Nazis. May their example inspire in priests the desire to be shepherds according to the heart of Christ, always beside the people."