Memories of an era – Fra' Ginepro, the Franciscan who brought Mussolini back to the Faith
Of Luciano Garibaldi
Fra' Ginepro from Pompeiana (photo from the Ragazzi del Manfrei website)
He was a priest, Don Ennio Innocenti, theologian and historian, famous radio preacher (his broadcasts entitled “Listen, it's evening"), as well as founder of the “Sacra Fraternitas Aurigarum in Urbe”, to reconstruct Mussolini's path towards faith. He did it with a book, “Dispute over the conversion of Benito Mussolini”, published in Rome in the mid-nineties, precisely from the Fraternitas (via Capitan Bavastro 136, 00154 Roma). Don Ennio Innocenti had dedicated twelve years of research and personal investigations to this unusual story. At first, had revealed what Father Eusebio OFM had confided to him, born Sigfrido Zappaterreni, chief chaplain of the Black Brigades, moved to Argentina after the war and died in Buenos Aires. Several times - this was revealed by Father Eusebio to his brother - he received the sacramental confession of Benito Mussolini. Afterwards, it was another Franciscan who administered it to the Duce, after confessing it himself, the Eucharist. His name was Fra' Ginepro. Read More