ROME (JTA) — An Italian Roman Catholic priest has been honored posthumously as a Righteous Among the Nations.
Monsignor Maurizio Michele Raffa, who died in 1957 at the age of 51, was honored for having hidden the Jewish Di Castro family in 1943-44, thus saving them from deportation by the Nazi occupiers.
Israel’s ambassador to Italy, Gideon Meir, made the presentation on Nov. 23 to Raffa’s nephew in a ceremony conducted at the church in Rome where Raffa served as priest.
Taking part in the ceremony were Jewish community leaders and a member of the family that Raffa saved.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
