Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty is known by his other name, "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican". He saved over 6,500 Jews, POW's, and Civilians during WWII, he was awarded the highest American honor with the Medal of Freedom and was made a Commander of the British Empire. He was such a humble man, that upon receiving such prestigious awards, he placed them in a simple brown envelope and mailed them to his sister in Ireland.
When the Nazi's invaded Rome in 1944, they assigned to the head of the Gestapo one of their cruelest and most ruthless men, his name, Colonel Herbert Kappler. He ruled Rome with an Irish fist and began to root out all the news, sending them out by train to the concentration camps. Meanwhile, Monsignor O'Flaherty, who was part of the Inquisition, holding a high position in Rome began to work in secret to rescue as many jews as he could. During the early part of the war, the Allie's told their soldiers that if they were shot down or separated from their troops, to try and make it to the Vatican, which was on neutral ground. Many men did and all of the rooms and lodging was filled to the breaking point. Monsignor began a secret network to hide Jews, POW's, and Civilians who were being sought by the Gestapo.
Colonel Kappler became aware of Monsignor O'Flaherty very quickly and they began to play a deadly cat and mouse game. Kappler initiated a curfew and said anyone caught out after dark would be shot. He also told the Monsignor that if he was caught outside of the Vatican, he would be killed. Monsignor O'Flaherty needed to make sure his men were in good shape and to continue to move the people around.. he began to go out in disguises, he was reported around Rome dressed as a coal man, postman, doctor, hospital worker, Nun, policeman, souvenir seller, ect. It drove Kappler mad. He even attempted to sent in assassins who tried to kill Monsignor in his bed.. but failed. One of Monsignor's good Priest friends.. was captured with a large sum of money and the SS believe that he was a spy.. so he was scheduled to be sent out to a concentration camp and killed. Monsignor O'Flaherty heard about this and performed his biggest feat yet, he donned an SS Commander's uniform and walked straight into the Gestapo headquarters and down into the jail to visit his friend.. ! Kappler got wind of what he did and they chased him out of the City.. that night Monsignor returned and the SS were waiting for him.. it began a foot chase through the streets of Rome. Monsignor O'Flaherty managed to climb a storm drain up the side of the Vatican wall and he saved his life. Kappler was beyond furious.
After the war was over, Monsignor O'Flarehty was honored around the world. He humbly asked to cut out all the fan fare.. he just wanted to stay a simple Priest. Kappler was sentenced to life imprisonment and after his sentencing.. he sent for Monsignor O'Flaherty, who came and spoke with him once a month for the rest of his life. A few years after being sentenced, Colonel Kappler, the dreaded head of the Gestapo, was baptized and received into the Catholic Church in the hands of Monsignor O'Flaherty!