The concelebration was presided over by Fr Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General of the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, with Fr Ramón Domínguez Fraile, Postulator General of the Dehonians, Fr Antonio Feltracco, parish priest of Salvaro, Fr Massimo Setti, parish priest of the Salesian Sacred Heart Work in Bologna, and Fr Gabriel Cruz, World Spiritual Animator of the Association of Mary Help of Christians and collaborator of the Salesian Postulation. Also present were Guido Pedroni, Leader of the Community of the Mission of Don Bosco (CMB), 28th group of the Salesian Family – a community based in Bologna – with some other members; Caterina Fornasini, nephew of Blessed Giovanni Fornasini; and Pietro Marchioni, nephew of the Servant of God Fr Ubaldo Marchioni.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Monte Sole massacre – a set of massacres carried out by Nazi-Fascist troops in Italy between 29 September and 5 October 1944 – the Presidents of the Republics of Italy and Germany, Sergio Mattarella and Frank-Walter Steinmeier respectively, also went to the sites of the massacres: on Sunday, 29 September they went to the nearby municipality of Marzabotto to pay tribute to the victims of what was the most heinous massacre of civilians carried out in Europe in World War II, and from there relaunch a message of reconciliation of peace.
The civil act had been preceded by a Mass presided over in the parish church of Marzabotto by the Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Commission (CEI), Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who in his homily recalled that "Justice is stronger than revenge (...). Evil is fought with love (…). Let's bring life back to where there is death.”
The triduum of passion for Fr Elia Comini and Fr Martino Capelli began on Friday 29 September 1944. The Nazis caused panic in the Monte Salvaro area and the population flocked to the parish in search of protection. Fr Comini, risking his life, hid about seventy men in a room next to the sacristy, covering the door with an old closet. The ploy succeeded. In fact, the Nazis, scouring the place three times, did not notice it. Meanwhile, the news came that the SS troops had massacred several dozen people in "Creda", among whom were wounded and dying in need of comfort. Fr Comini celebrated his last Mass in the early morning and then together with Fr Capelli, taking the holy oils and the Eucharist, he hurried, hoping to still be able to help some of the wounded. He did it freely. In fact, everyone dissuaded him: from the parish priest to the women present there. “Don't go, Father. It's dangerous!” They tried to hold Fr Comini and Fr Capelli by force, but they made this decision with full awareness of the danger of death. Fr Elia said: "Pray, pray for me, because I have a mission to fulfill"; "Pray for me, do not leave me alone!".
Near the Creda di Salvaro, the two priests were captured; used "as beasts of burden" they were forced to carry ammunition and, in the evening, they were locked up in the stable at Pioppe di Salvaro. On Saturday, 30 September Fr Comini and Fr Capelli spent all their energy comforting the many men locked up with them. The Prefecture Commissioner of Vergato, Emilio Veggetti, tried in vain to obtain the release of the prisoners. The two priests continued to pray and console. In the evening they heard each other's confession.
The following day, on Sunday 1 October 1944, at dusk, the machine gun inexorably mowed down the 46 victims of what would go down in history as the"Massacre of Pioppe di Salvaro": they were men considered unfit for work; among them, the two young priests forced two days earlier to work. Witnesses who were a short distance away, as the crow flies, from the place of the massacre could hear the voice of Fr Comini who led the Litanies and then heard the sound of gunshots. Fr Comini, before collapsing, beaten to death, gave absolution to everyone and shouted: "Mercy, mercy!", while Fr Capelli, rising from the bottom of the Botte, broadly traced the signs of the cross until he fell back, arms outstretched.
No bodies could be recovered. After twenty days, the grills were opened and the waters of the Rhine dragged the mortal remains away, completely losing track of them. Their death came in the Botte among blessings and invocations, prayers, acts of repentance and forgiveness. Here, as in other places, people died as Christians, with faith, with hearts turned to God in the hope of eternal life.
