Priest, martyr (November 25, 2001)
Friend of the prisoners
Elia Comini was born on May 7, 1910 at Calvenzano (Vergato), Bologna, Italy. In 1914 the family moved to“Casetta,” in the parish of Salvaro in Grizzana, Bologna. The archpriest of Salvaro, Mons. Fidenzio Mellini, while a soldier in Turin, had known Don Bosco who predicted he would become a priest. Mons. Mellini had high regard for Elia because of his faith, goodness and intellectual capacity. In agreement with his parents he had him sent to school with the Salesians in Finale Emilia where Elia eventually asked to be a Salesian.
After his novitiate he made his first religious profession at Castel de’ Britti in Bologna in 1926. His father died the same year. The archpriest acted as a second father to him. He completed his studies at Valsalice in Turin and did his Masters degree at the state University of Milan. On March 16, 1935 he was ordained priest.
The new priest was assigned to the Salesian School at Chiari as teacher and educator of boys in the hostel “Rota” and in the Salesian Aspirantate of Treviso. He was known especially for the kindness that Don Bosco had shown, and his warm character and smile was easily picked up by the boys.
It was during the summer of 1944 that Fr. Comini practiced brotherly love to a heroic degree. He had gone to his native place, Salvaro, to be with his mother who was alone and at the same time be of help to the elderly parish priest. That area had become the epicenter of the war between the Allies and the Germans, the people were terrified and the destruction was almost total. For more than two months, together with another heroic priest, Fr. Martin Capelli, a Devonian, Fr. Elia gave himself totally to God, body and soul, as His minister, celebrating holy Mass, preaching, teaching catechism, singing, visiting and comforting the refugees and caring for the sick. He buried the dead, acted as a peacemaker between the people, the Allies and the Germans, even at the risk of his own life.
In the parish at Salvaro, filled with refugees in hiding, news came that after a battle with the partisans, the SS had taken 69 people hostage some of who were close to death and in need of comfort. Fr. Elia and Fr. Martino, under enemy fire, set out with the holy oils. They were taken prisoner, thought to be spies for the partisans, and given hard labour. They were thrown together with other prisoners. He was allowed to go free, but he refused the offer because he alone was given freedom and said, “Either all or none!” He preferred to remain with his companion prisoners and be of help to them.
They were unjustly condemned to death. When they were about to be shot on Sunday October 1, 1944, Fr.Elia and Fr. Martino, like Bishop Versiglia and Fr Caravario, heard one another’s confessions. Then Fr. Elia gave absolution in a loud voice to the other hostages. His body was then thrown into the Rhine.
