The Three Martyrs of Monte Sole to be Beatified on September 27

Father Martino Capelli, SCJ (1912 – 1944)

Father Martino Capelli (born Nicola Capelli) was an Italian priest belonging to the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians), remembered for his pastoral devotion and his martyrdom during the Second World War.

His Early Years

He was born on September 20, 1912, in Nembro, a small town in the province of Bergamo, into a large and humble family. From a young age, he showed a deep religious vocation and a burning desire to serve others. In 1924, he entered the Dehonian Apostolic School in Albino, beginning his formative journey toward the priesthood and consecrated life. He made his first religious profession in 1930, taking the name Martino of the Sorrowful Mother (Martino della Addolorata). He was ordained a priest in June 1938.

Mission

Inspired by a strong missionary ideal, he formally requested to go as a missionary to China. Due to the Second World War, his superiors sent him to study in Rome instead, first at the Biblical Institute and later at the headquarters of Propaganda Fide. He then became a professor of Biblical studies at the Scholasticate in Bologna. Because of the war, the entire community moved to Burzanella. However, Martino went to Pioppe di Salvaro, near Bologna, to assist the local parish priest. There he met Don Elia Comini, a Salesian priest with whom he formed a great friendship and priestly fraternity. He would eventually become his companion in martyrdom.

The Final Offering: Martyrdom

Despite warnings of imminent danger from advancing Nazi forces, Father Capelli and Don Elia Comini chose to remain with their community and the vulnerable people suffering the ravages of the conflict. His faithfulness to his priestly mission led to his arrest by SS troops, along with other religious figures, under false accusations of collaborating with the resistance.

On October 1, 1944, after three days of imprisonment, he was executed alongside Don Elia Comini and a group of elderly people, women, and children. In total, 44 victims were shot. Witnesses of that tragic event recalled his final serenity: once he was struck by machine-gun fire, before dying, Father Capelli stood up, offered words of comfort, and, with a gesture of blessing, fell with his arms in the shape of a cross. He was only 32 years old.

Recognition

Because of his heroic devotion and faithfulness unto death, the Church has recognized his life and martyrdom as a testimony of oblation and sacrificial offering. Following the promulgation of the decree recognizing his martyrdom, his beatification is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in the city of Bologna—an act that honors his memory as an apostle of reconciliation and peace.

Don Elia Comini, SDB (1910 – 1944)

Don Elia Comini was a religious of the Society of Saint Francis de Sales, founded by Saint John Bosco (Salesians). His life was marked by a profound love for the young and a heroic charity that led him to offer his life for his brothers during the Nazi occupation of Italy.

Formation and Vocation

Born in 1910 in Calvenzano di Vergato, in the province of Bologna, Elia Comini entered the Salesian congregation at a young age, moved by the desire to follow in the footsteps of its founder, Saint John Bosco. In 1926, he took his first vows. After completing his theological studies, he was ordained a priest in 1935. He quickly stood out for his kind nature, his contagious joy, and his special talent for the youth apostolate, dedicating himself to the education of the youngest students in the Salesian schools of Chiari and Treviglio.

The Mission in Pioppe di Salvaro

During the darkest months of the Second World War, Don Elia Comini was in the area of Pioppe di Salvaro, caring for his sick mother. There he exercised his apostolate by helping the local parish priest. In a context of terror and violence, the priest did not hesitate to risk his own life to protect the most needy and defenseless. His presence in the community was a light of hope amidst the desolation of war. It was there that he met Father Capelli, with whom he established a priestly fraternity.

The Final Surrender: Martyrdom

In September 1944, as the Nazi persecution intensified against the local population, Don Comini was detained alongside Father Martino Capelli, simply for being priests and for wanting to administer the sacraments to the dying who were being massacred by the SS.

He was shot on October 1, 1944, alongside Father Martino Capelli and many other victims—44 in total. Survivors recounted that, moments before being shot, Father Comini commended himself to Mary, singing the litanies. Furthermore, he showed unbreakable spiritual strength, forgiving his executioners.

Legacy

Father Elia Comini is remembered today as a model of a pastor who “lays down his life for his sheep.” His martyrdom, along with that of Father Martino Capelli, is part of a collective testimony of faith that the Church has decided to honor officially. Like his companion in martyrdom, his beatification is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Bologna, concluding a process that recognizes the sacrificial offering of his life in the face of hatred and barbarism.

Don Ubaldo Marchioni (1918 – 1944)

Don Ubaldo Marchioni was a young diocesan priest from Bologna whose pastoral zeal and courage during the Second World War led him to become a spiritual pillar and humanitarian aid in the Bolognese Apennines.

Origins and Ordination

Born on May 19, 1918, in Vimignano, which belonged to the municipality of Grizzana in the Bolognese Apennines. Within the Archdiocese of Bologna, Ubaldo grew up in an environment of deep faith. He entered the seminary and, after completing his studies with dedication, was ordained a priest in 1942 in Bologna. His ministry was brief but extremely intense, taking place almost entirely under the shadow of the Nazi occupation and the terror of war in his homeland.

The Pastor on the Front Line

As the parish priest of San Martino di Caprara and Santa Maria Assunta di Casaglia, Don Marchioni not only attended to the spiritual needs of his parishioners but also became a tangible refuge for them. In a territory marked by the battlefront and reprisals, he refused to abandon his people. He worked tirelessly for his parishioners, encouraging them in their faith and serving as a strong source of comfort for them.

Martyrdom in the Church of Santa Maria di Casaglia

On September 29, 1944, Nazi forces carried out a brutal massacre in the Monte Sole area. Don Ubaldo Marchioni was captured while trying to protect the members of his community, remaining with his faithful until the last moment, like a pastor who refuses to leave his flock in the time of greatest danger. He was executed by firing squad, surrendering his life with the same consistency with which he had lived it. In his hands, he held the ciborium with the consecrated hosts.

A Legacy of Faithfulness

The life of Don Marchioni is a testimony of priestly courage that does not seek the spotlight but rather constant closeness to human suffering. Alongside Father Martino Capelli and Don Elia Comini, his figure represents the sacrifice of so many priests and religious who, in the heart of Italy, were beacons of humanity in the face of cruelty.

His process, which culminates with his beatification on September 27, 2026, in Bologna, officially recognizes his martyrdom. His love and faithfulness to Christ confirm that his sacrifice was not in vain and that he continues to inspire the Church as an example of strength in times of tribulation.