Priest (1898–1963)
In 1922, Hugh O’Flaherty, a young Irish seminarian, was assigned to pursue studies in Rome. Following his ordination in 1925, he stayed on to work for the Holy See, accepting diplomatic postings in Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia.
While serving at the Vatican after the German occupation of Rome, O’Flaherty organized an ambitious network to rescue and shelter fugitives from the Nazis—both Jews and Allied prisoners of war, many of whom had escaped following the collapse of Mussolini’s regime. Operating under the noses of the Gestapo, O’Flaherty and the priests, nuns, and laypeople who assisted him, set up safe havens throughout Rome, some of them in churches, monasteries, and private homes. Operating without official approval from his superiors, O’Flaherty showed such ingenuity in his clandestine activities that he became known as “the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican.”
Though the Gestapo learned of his exploits, they were powerless to stop him as long as he remained on Vatican territory. The head of the Gestapo, Col. Kappler, had a white line painted at the opening of St. Peter’s Square, warning O’Flaherty that he would be killed if he crossed beyond it. It is estimated that over 4,000 Allied prisoners of war and an untold number of Jews were rescued in this way.
After the war, O’Flaherty received many honors. For many years, he regularly visited Col. Kappler in prison and eventually received him into the Church. After suffering a stroke in 1960, O’Flaherty returned to Ireland, where he died on October30, 1963.
“God has no country.” —Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty
