Pietro Pappagallo (

Terlizzi Terlizzi ( Barese: ) is an Italian small town of 26,084 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Bari in Apulia, lying to the north west of the seaport of Bari on the Adriatic Sea, in the midst of a fertile plain. History Terlizzi is first menti ...

(

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

) 28 June 1888 –

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, 24 March 1944) was a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

and an Italian

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were op ...

who assisted victims of

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

and

Fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

in Rome during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Biography

After coming to Rome in 1925, Don Pappagallo was a member of the College of Beneficed Clergy of the

Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (), also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major or the Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, is one of the four Basilicas in the Catholic Church#Major and papal basilicas, major papal basilicas and one of the Seven Pilgrim C ...

and chaplain to the Sisters of the Child Jesus on the Via Urbana. He was also assistant pastor of the

Basilica of St. John Lateran The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the ''Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of A ...

and had served as secretary to Cardinal Bonaventura Cerretti, the

Archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...

of Santa Maria Maggiore. During the

German occupation of Rome The expression Failed defense of Rome (also conceptually referred to as the German occupation of Rome) refers to the events that took place in the Italian capital and the surrounding area, beginning on 8 September 1943, and in the days immediately ...

, which lasted from September 1943 to June 1944, Pappagallo helped soldiers, partisans, allies, Jews and others wanted by the regime. Betrayed by a German spy Gino Crescentini, Pappagallo was arrested on 29 January 1944 by the SS, as part of a campaign against the Roman resistance. Witnesses reported that Pappagallo shared his meals with fellow prisoners who had not received food. Sentenced to death, he was executed on 24 March 1944 at the Ardeatine Caves.

Recognition

*Pope

John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

in Jubilee year of 2000 included Pietro Pappagallo among the Church's twentieth-century martyrs. *On 13 July 1998 the

President of the Italian Republic The president of Italy, officially titled President of the Italian Republic (), is the head of state of Italy. In that role, the president represents national unity and guarantees that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The presid ...

Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (; 9 December 1920 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian politician, statesman and banker who was the President of Italy from 1999 to 2006 and the Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994. A World War II veteran, C ...

awarded Pappagallo posthumously the ''Medaglia d'oro al merito civile'' (Gold medal for civil merit), whose citation stated: "As a priest of the Diocese of Rome, during the German occupation he worked zealously in the clandestine struggle and gave himself generously to aid Jews, deserters, anti-fascists, and allies in flight, helping them hide and refresh themselves. Betrayed, he was handed over to the Germans, sacrificing his life with the serenity of the soul, a sign of the faith that had always lighted his way."

Bibliography

*Paolo Vallarelli ''Dove giocano gli Angeli'' Surico Editore Modugno: Bari 2009.

Filmography

* Roberto Rossellini's seminal neorealist film ''

Rome, Open City ''Rome, Open City'' (), also released as ''Open City'', is a 1945 Italian Italian neorealism, neorealist war film, war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini and co-written by Sergio Amidei, Celeste Negarville and Federico Fellini. Set in Rom ...

'' (1945) portrayed Don Pietro Pappagallo in the character of Don Pietro Pellegrini, played by

Aldo Fabrizi Aldo Fabrizi (; born Aldo Fabbrizi; 1 November 1905 – 2 April 1990) was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and comedian, best known for the role of the heroic priest in Roberto Rossellini's ''Rome, Open City'' and as partner of Totò in ...

. *A 2006

RAI (), commercially styled as since 2000 and known until 1954 as (RAI), is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels a ...

television drama ''La buona battaglia:Don Pietro Pappagallo'' dramatized his story directly. Pappagallo was played by

Flavio Insinna Flavio Insinna (born 3 July 1965) is an Italian actor and television presenter. He is a former host of ''L'eredità''. He is also known for having hosted ''Affari tuoi, Affari Tuoi'', the Italian version of ''Deal or No Deal'' between 2006 and 20 ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pappagallo, Pietro 1888 births 1944 deaths People from Terlizzi 20th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Italian resistance movement members People murdered in Lazio Italian murder victims Fosse Ardeatine massacre victims Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany Roman Catholic priests executed by Nazi Germany