Highland Park, Illinois, January 12, 2024 – The city of Highland Park has officially designated January 12th as ‘Don Sante Bartolai Day,’ a remarkable tribute to a local priest whose courageous actions during World War II saved countless lives and continue to inspire generations. This recognition underscores the enduring legacy of a man who bravely resisted fascism and dedicated his life to helping those in need.
A Priest’s Valor Honored in Illinois
The annual observance will commemorate the life and work of Don Sante Bartolai, a Highland Park native and a hero of the Italian Resistance.
- The proclamation followed a visit from a modenese delegation led by Don Stefano Violi.
- Don Bartolai is recognized by the United States Holocaust Museum for protecting Italian Jews.
- The ‘City of Boys,’ founded by Don Bartolai, continues to provide education and support to young people.
- Officials aim to strengthen ties between Highland Park and Modena through cultural exchange programs.
The decision to establish the annual day of remembrance stemmed from a recent visit by a delegation from Modena, Italy, led by Don Stefano Violi. The delegation met with prominent figures including Consul General of Italy in Chicago Mario Bartoli, Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, Bishop of Chicago Timoty O’Malley, Illinois State Senator Julie Morrison, Highland Park mayor Nancy Rotering, and Carol Wolfe, president of the Sister Cities Foundation, which facilitated the meetings. “The City was honored to welcome these special guests from the Modena area,” Mayor Rotering stated. “Recognizing the shared history of Modena and Highland Park, they proclaimed that January 12th will be ‘Don Sante Bartolai Day.'”
Representatives from The City of Boys, the organization founded by don Bartolai, accepted the proclamation and presented a copy of the priest’s memoir. The memoir details his experiences during the Second World War, including his imprisonment in the Dachau and mauthausen concentration camps. Don Bartolai is also honored as “Righteous Among the nations” at the United States Holocaust Museum for his efforts to protect Italian Jews and his involvement in the Italian resistance.
Don Stefano Violi highlighted the trip’s goals, emphasizing the strengthening and renewal of relationships between the two communities. These objectives include re-editing Don Bartolai’s diary and establishing a network of hospitality and exchange programs connecting families with roots in the Apennines region of Modena and those who emigrated to the United states. The initiative will also involve young people from the Youth Ministry and professional training schools.
Born in Highland Park in 1917, Don Sante Bartolai was orphaned at a young age and raised in S. Annapelago. Ordained as a priest in 1942,he joined the Modena Underground Movement during the war. He was captured by the Nazis and endured horrific conditions in both Dachau and Mauthausen before being released in 1945. Following his liberation,he penned his harrowing experiences in “from Fossoli to Mauthausen” and subsequently founded City of Boys in Modena,an institution dedicated to education,faith,and opportunity for young people.
