I received news this morning that a longstanding friend from Genoa, Italy had died yesterday at the age of 92 years. Domenico lived his entire life in the home of his parents, in the Madre di Dio district in the city centre. Domenico's simple home also reached out to all needing a square meal. I also lunched at Domenico's home to hear his stories lived during his teen years during the second world war, when his then parent's home was a vital link in a chain of homes stretching the length of Italy providing sanctuary for a night, or two for downed Allied aircrews, and Jews en route north into Switzerland.
The Committee of National Liberation (CNL) (1) the umbrella organisation for the various Partisan groups combating Italian Fascist brigades, and German forces following the invasion, and occupation of Italy in September 1943 was instrumental in ferrying Domenico's short term guests through their network of homes.
The Vatican City was also part of this chain providing sanctuary for many Allied air crews, Allied POW escapees, and Jews evading the roundup that began immediately after the German invasion of Italy. According to Sir Martin Gilbert, when the SS arrived in Rome searching for Jews, Pope Pius X11 had already "A few days earlier... personally ordered the Vatican clergy to open the sanctuaries of the Vatican City to all "non-Aryans" in need of refuge. By morning of October 16, a total of 477 Jews had been given shelter in the Vatican and its enclaves, while another 4,238 had been given sanctuary in the many monasteries and convents in Rome, and other towns throughout Italy. Only 1,015 of Rome's 6,730 Jews were seized that morning.
Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty CBE was The Vatican based coordinator tasked by Pope Pius X11 with providing necessary practical assistance for all needing to escape the clutches of the SS, and Italian Fascist militias. Father O'Flaherty's Irish passport enabled him to move freely outside the security of The Vatican's walls. Eventually Rome's SS commander twigged who among the Vatican's personnel was the cleric working diligently for MI6. Hugh O'Flaherty had many ears within the Italian Fascist military hierarchy who were providing important intelligence serving the Allied cause warning him to avoid venturing outside Vatican City territory.
Hugh O'Flaherty (2) would survive the war, returning to Ireland and retirement.
Domenico Migone was a quiet, and reserved person whose life was dedicated to serving the common good. Few words, much action were his reminder to me 15 years ago when we met over a coffee at his home that sacrifice is the foundation of ones faith in The Christ's call to follow Him.
Tomorrow I shall be contributing a post on the late Archbishop of Genoa for whom I worked way, way back in the late seventies.
Here's a link to a television drama on the life of Hugh O'Flaherty:
https://ok.ru/video/317336128015
(1) https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/spring98/OSS.html
(2) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-24713270
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