Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (St John 15:13)
Servant of God Salvo D'Acquisto, pray for us!
From the Pro-Life and Anti-Communist League Facebook page
It was on this date in 1920, that Salvo D'Acquisto was born. He was a member of the Italian Carabinieri during the Second World War. He was a devout Catholic. On September 22,1943, German soldiers were inspecting boxes of abandoned munitions when there was an explosion. Two died and two others were wounded. The German commander believed "unnamed locals" were responsible but it was in fact an accident. The Germans conducted searches and arrested 22 local residents. An armed squad took D'Acquisto by force from the station to the Torre di Palidoro, an ancient watchtower, where the prisoners were gathered. Under interrogation, all of the civilians said that they were innocent. When the Germans again demanded to know the names of the responsible persons, D'Acquisto replied that there were none – the explosion was accidental. The Germans ridiculed, insulted, and beat him, and tore his uniform.
Suddenly, the prisoners were handed shovels and forced to dig a mass grave for their own burial after execution. The digging went on for some time; when it was completed, it was obvious the Germans meant to carry out their threat. D'Acquisto then "confessed" to the alleged crime, declared that he alone was responsible for the "murder" and that the civilians were innocent, and demanded that they be released right away. One of those freed, 17 or 18-year-old Angelo Amadio, witnessed the execution by firing squad. D'Acquisto was 22.
His remains are preserved at the Church of St. Clara in Naples, in the first chapel on the left, near the entrance. His Cause for Beatification as a martyr has been introduced. 98 years ago today since his birth.
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