The Irish postal service has released a commemorative stamp marking the 100th anniversary of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty’s ordination, honouring his heroism in saving thousands of Jews during World War II. The launch took place in Dublin, recognising the Kerry-born priest’s extraordinary humanitarian efforts in Nazi-occupied Rome between 1943 and 1944. Ordained in Rome in 1925, he served as a Vatican diplomat across several nations before taking up a role in the Holy Office.
Hugh O Flaherty
According to the Catholic News Agency, O’Flaherty sheltered an estimated 6,500 Jews, Allied soldiers, and refugees in monasteries, convents, Vatican living quarters, and even Castel Gandolfo before smuggling them to safety. Despite the constant threat from the Gestapo, he continued his clandestine operations, often disguising himself to move freely outside Vatican walls. His defiance made him one of the most wanted men in Rome.
Reports noted that Nazi commander Col. Herbert Kappler repeatedly failed to capture him. After the war, he reportedly visited Kappler in prison every month and eventually baptised him into the Catholic faith. Postal officials described the stamp as a tribute to “one of Ireland’s greatest moral figures.”
The courage of the cleric inspired the 1983 film The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck. O’Flaherty’s story, chronicled by historians and the Dictionary of Irish Biography, remains a powerful reminder of faith and bravery amid humanity’s darkest hours.