SCJ MARTYRS pt. 7

Not a Missionary but an Exemplary Martyr:
Fr. Martino Capelli, SCJ (1912-1944)

After hearing a conference on the martyrs in Mexico shortly after taking his first vows in 1931, Nicola Martino Capelli wrote: "O Virgin of the Mexican martyrs, allow me also one day to be a martyr for Christ the King and for you, Immaculate Virgin. O mother I write you still touched by the conference given on the Mexican martyrs. I am sure that through the intercession of your martyrs you will grant me this wish. Your son, Frater Martino Capelli." (Missionario mancato Ü martire esaudito: P. Martino Capelli, SCJ, SCJ Postulator's Office, Bologna 1996)

Born at Nembro in the province of Bergamo, he was ordained a priest in 1938 at Bologna. Fr. Capelli dreamed of becoming a missionary in China, a project of the Italian Province that fell through. Instead his superiors sent him to Rome because of his brilliant academic abilities. "I had hoped to become a missionary, instead I am condemned to finish my life as a teacher." (Fr. Capelli in a letter dated October10, 1939)

Arriving in Rome, he attended the Biblical Institute and the Urbanian University where on July 10, 1942, he received his license in Theology cum laude. In 1943 he left Rome for good to teach Sacred Scripture and Church History to the students at Castiglione (near Bologna), where the seminary had been moved for security reasons.

However, Castiglione proved to be anything but secure as it was near the front lines in an area called the "Triangle of Death" because of the fierce fighting between the Allies and the Germans with their Fascist Italian counterparts. Fr. Capelli arrived at Castiglione on September 19, 1943, to take up the role of professor.

According to student reports, he presented his material in an interesting manner. In any community conflicts "he tended to side with the students, rather than with the staff. He was in fact very sympathetic to our views and cordial. He had some difficulties with the administration." (Testimony of Fr. Remo Canal, 1987)

He had great Marian devotion and dreamed of becoming a missionary. He had great intellectual capacity and developed an enthusiasm for pastoral work when he was called to help the priests in the area around Castiglione.

On June 23, 1994, the Germans ordered the evacuation of the seminary at Castiglione so that they could turn it into a military hospital. Apart from any turmoil, the presence of German troops at the seminary made it dangerous to remain there. The priests were dispersed to various parishes. On July 6, 1994, the rest of the community was transferred to Burzanella, not far from Castiglione.

On the morning of July 18, 1944, sounds of gunfire could be heard as a group of Germans were searching the countryside burning houses that had sheltered partisans. They had rounded up five Italians suspected of being partisans. Father. Agostini, SCJ, and Father Capelli, SCJ, asked the Germans for mercy. They were able to secure the freedom of three, but the other two were condemned to death. "They were ready to be shot when our people again intervened and asked that they might have their confessions heard. The two knelt in the field in front of everyone and there made their confession, one to Fr. Capelli and the other to the pastor. Then amid the tears and sobs of those present they embraced and kissed, and a minute later their bodies fell after a shot to the back of the head." (Missionario mancato Ü martire esaudito: P. Martino Capelli, SCJ, p. 69)

On July 20th,Fr. Capelli left for Salvaro to help Monsignor Mellini, the former pastor. There he met a Silesian, Don Elia Comini and the two became fast friends until death. Fr. Capelli accepted various preaching engagements in parishes in the neighborhood. It was difficult and dangerous work. In September 1944, the Allies smashed through the German line (the Gothic Line) a few kilometers from Monte Sole. The presence of a large partisan force of 700 to 800 men in the area was a danger to German operations and consequently the Germans were ordered to annihilate the "Red Star" brigade. On September 29, 1994, the area was encircled by both German regular and SS troops, aided by Fascist collaborators. They proceeded to indiscriminately kill the entire population. The action led to the death of 770 persons, including 316 women and 216 children.

The martyrdom of Fr. Capelli began with this action. Twice he refused the request of his confreres and superiors to leave the area for safety. His refusal was interpreted by some of his confreres as disobedience (although for noble reasons) in keeping with his critical character. Others saw the refusal as a choice to remain faithful to his mission and the people of Salvaro.

On September 29, 1944, answering the call to aid the wounded, Fr. Capelli and Fr.Comini were arrested by the Germans as spies. At first the soldiers used them to transport their ammunition up and down the mountain under escort. They were then imprisoned along with a large group of other partisans in a stable belonging to a rope factory in Pioppe di Salvaro. After two days of cruel imprisonment on Sunday October 1, Frs. Capelli and Comini along with 44 other partisans were led to the so-called "vault" of the rope factory where they were cut down by machine gun fire from the Nazi SS. A few were able to pretend death under the stack of bodies and saved themselves by waiting until the German soldiers departed. One of them was able to recount the last gesture of Fr. Martin Capelli. Wounded and dying, he raised his arm said a few words and a blessing and then fell with arms extended in the form of the cross. He was 32 years old.

All traces of him and the others who were executed were lost when water-tight dam bulkheads were opened and their bodies were washed into the Reno River. "One Day, O mother, we will meet at my martyr's death." (Fr. Capelli in his Consecration to the Immaculate Virgin)

In the Salvaro cemetary, there are markers to Don Elia and to Fr. Martino: in tribute to their witness as pastors of Monte Sole:

There is no greater love
than to give one's own life
Father Nicholas Martino Capelli revealed this
in the way he lived
and in the magnitude of his simple martyr's death.