So too were the bishops Pietro Boetto in Genoa, Elia Dalla Costa of Florence, Giuseppe Placido Nicolini of Assisi, Maurilio Fossati of Turin, Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster of Milan, and Antonio Torrini of Lucca.

The links of solidarity that radiated out from Genoa to various localities allowed for an almost regular arrival of funds essential to the survival of thousands of Jews in central and northern Italy during the German occupation.

[5] Repetto - who has long been the Prefect of the Biblioteca Franzoniana - decided to take refuge in the mountains to avoid being captured and tried for his actions, finding safe haven in Val Bisogno in Molassana in July 1944.

[1] In 1955, he was awarded a gold medal by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, the justification states: “Father Francesco Repetto, secretary of the Archbishop of Genoa, after 8 September 1943, assumed the arduous and difficult task of continuing the underground work to assist Jews through DELASEM during the Nazi occupation.

In this his most noble work, defied their (the Nazis) numerous complaints, threats and arrest orders which he fortunately evaded successfully, and created a real organization for the distribution of food supplies, shelters for emigration, hospitalization, and succeeded to help persecuted hundreds.”[1] On 29 April 1976, Father Repetto then received the honour of Righteous Among the Nations from the Institute Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.