don Luigi Zoppetti

My name is Don Luigi Zoppetti, I was born in 1888, and I was a priest and teacher of French Literature at the Mellerio Rosmini college. In 1939, World War II started, and in 1943, I became a member of the National Liberation Committee, also known as the Resistance. During the Nazi-fascist occupation, I and other priests suffered torture and violence. I participated in the Resistance by helping and supporting anti-fascists and partisans, both spiritually and materially. I also tried to offer refuge to people fleeing from the Nazis and keep alive the values of justice and freedom, giving courage to the partisans. It was a difficult time for Italy, but I did not hesitate to help those in need and the weak, using my role as a priest to act with more "freedom," even though the fascists were intolerant of opposition. My goal was to leave a testimony of my civil and religious commitment.